The mother of Sandra Bland filed a federal lawsuit Tuesday against the Texas Department of Public Safety trooper and several others she deems responsible for the death of her 28-year-old daughter at the Waller County Jail in mid-July.
Geneva Reed-Veal is seeking a jury trial and unspecified monetary damages in her wrongful death suit against DPS trooper Brian Encinia; Waller County jail screening officers Elsa Magnus and Oscar Prudente; Waller County; and DPS.
The lawsuit follows weeks of national controversy surrounding the July 10 arrest of Bland, whose death has been ruled a suicide by the medical examiner. Her hanging came three days after Encinia pulled Bland over for failure to signal a lane change, and within minutes, ordered Bland out of the car, threatened her with a taser, pinned her to the ground and arrested her.
JUST IN: Attorney for #SandraBland’s family: We’re asking the DOJ to get involved in the situation http://t.co/UH7eIOIbpp
— msnbc (@msnbc) August 4, 2015
Dashcam video of the arrest was cited as overly aggressive by DPS, and Encinia was put on desk duty.
According to the 46-page lawsuit, Encinia “demonstrated a deliberate indifference to and conscious disregard for the constitutional rights and safety of Sandra Bland.” It noted that Encinia previously was reprimanded for “unprofessional conduct” and faulted Texas DPS for improper training, saying the agency should have known he “exhibited a pattern of escalating encounters with the public.”
One thing that needs to be made very clear, if we have any hope for developing police forces that enforce the law HUMANELY, it cannot be done with many if not most of those who are currently employed as cops.
What has been taught can not be unlearned. Starting over is the only option. They have been trained to look at us as the objective, the suspect. A more educated and service oriented police is necessary.
Copy of civil lawsuit against Ofc. Brian Encinia by Sandra’s mother:
https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/2191124-bland.html
This brute gets photos show of him smiling in suits, while Sandra Bland gets mugshots.
It seems that these KILLERS are still allowed to roam free, even after a gazillion $$$ law suits. They’d rather pay millions of $$ than JAIL the white KILLER COPS. Wrap your brains around that.
As much as the states and cities cry broke they would think about these law suits and do a more human and fair job.
Then is it okay to throw a black man on the ground?
Of course he’s just a dumb beast! *sarcasim
Sandra Bland should be at her new job, but instead, her mother is suing a killer cop.
So very tragic!
Tell it Liza
deray mckesson retweeted
Bobby Blanchard @bobbycblanchard 2h2 hours ago Austin, TX
” #SandraBland: Family says they had money for bail, but they never heard back from Sandy after first phone call. Next call was: She’s dead.”
Sandra was going to DELIVER the EVIL DIRT on Brian Encinia & that PD, but they made sure she was SILENCED.
They all need to fall for this fuckery.
It really makes one wonder what Sandra had to endure during her jail stay.
I do not believe she hanged herself. She had so much to live for. Plus, she wanted to take Encinia to court for his wrongs against her.
Sad
This is good. With cops being protected by some of the worst prosecutors in the country, there is often no other path to justice than the civil course. And why in the blazes would they protect Brian Encinia? Well, the obvious answer is that the cop system protects all cops, no questions asked because it’s a f***ing “brotherhood.”
And where is the DOJ? Tired of waiting on you guys to indict, try, and convict one of these killers. Take it slow, take an easy one like Dan Pantaleo for example. The whole murder of Eric Garner is on video. The state isn’t going to prosecute, it’s your move.
So true, but we all know that for eons, it’s been JUST-US.
She is absolutely correct!