Newly released cellphone footage showing the arrest of Sandra Bland, the 28-year-old African American woman who died in police custody in south-east Texas in July 2015, has prompted calls for a new investigation into her death.
The 39-second clip, unearthed by Dallas-Fort Worth news channel WFAA, shows the altercation between Bland and former state trooper Brian Encinia during a traffic stop. It is the first video to show part of the incident from Bland’s point of view after police dashboard video was released shortly after Bland’s death.
It shows Encinia leaning into Bland’s vehicle and taking out his Taser shortly after he had pulled her over for allegedly failing to indicate a change of lanes. As Encinia unholsters his Taser, its lights flash on, and he points it at Bland and he shouts: “Get out of the car! I will light you up. Get out!�
Bland leaves her car and continues to record the trooper as he orders her on to the sidewalk. The Taser remains pointed at her and he shouts again, telling her to get off her phone. Bland replies: “I’m not on the phone. I have a right to record. This is my property.�
The video ends shortly after as the camera faces the floor.
Bland died three days after her arrest at the Waller county jail. It was ruled a suicide after she was found hanging in her cell.
But Bland’s family have long remained suspicious of the circumstances, and the newly released footage prompted calls for a new investigation.
The Bland family lawyer, Cannon Lambert, who settled a lawsuit against authorities implicated during the incident for $1.9m, said he had not seen the footage until it was obtained by local news. But the Texas department of public safety stated the footage had been released as a part of the legal discovery process during litigation.
Texas state representative Garnet Coleman, a Democrat, said: “It is troubling that a crucial piece of evidence was withheld from Sandra Bland’s family and legal team in their pursuit of justice.�
Encinia, who was fired after the incident commanded national attention, was initially indicted for perjury after he claimed he feared for his safety after stopping Bland’s vehicle. However, the charges against him were dropped after Encinia agreed to never work in law enforcement again.
“The video makes it abundantly clear there was nothing [Sandra] was doing in that car that put him at risk at all,� Lambert said.
Lawyers for Encinia claimed the new footage revealed nothing significant.