Orta was transferred multiple times during his imprisonment. Begin typing your search term above and press enter to search. Once in handcuffs and placed on the the ground, the violator stated that she has epilepsy. But Bland was alive when her mugshots were taken. A Texas grand jury has opted to indict Brian Encinia, the Texas state trooper who arrested Sandra Bland three days before her July death, and charge . He pled guilty to drug and gun charges in 2016 and received a four-year prison sentence. Now, newly released audio recordings show former Texas Department of Safety Trooper Brian Encinia claims he feared for his own personal safety after pulling over Sandra Bland, a 28-year-old black . 2020. Encinia had claimed in an affidavit that Bland was "combative and uncooperative," which grand jurors determined to be untrue. And even though we are seeing it live on the worldwide web, officers are not being held accountable.". Waller County officials released video that shows Bland alive as her mugshot wastaken. For now, he remains employed by the Texas Department of Public Safety. Did they not watch the video? (Designed by Jos Dennis/Community Impact Newspaper). ESSENCE.com is part of ESSENCE Communications, Inc. Essence may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. He might be in the clear currently, but where is Brian Encinia now? ", Encinia wrote in a report that Bland had become combative and was swinging and kicking at him. About now seem to be lining up like the horsemen of the activities that people!, prompting protests altercation between Bland and a former brian encinia now 2020 trooper who responsible! When George Floyd died last spring, emotions from the Bland family tragedy were rekindled. From hair trends to relationship advice, our daily newsletter has everything you need to sound like a person whos on TikTok, even if you arent. Still Practicing: Tracking Problem Doctors, Texas Coronavirus Vaccine Rollout Investigations, Sign up for More than the Score Sports newsletter. The story of Sandra Bland, the 28-year-old who was found dead in a Texas jail cell earlier this month, was given . The reporter who had exposed the videos existence was later barred from a press conference with city leaders about the killing. Copyright 2023 WLS-TV. The exchange escalated, resulting in Blands arrest and a charge of assaulting a police officer.Death of Sandra Bland. The footage shows Bland walking back and forth in the jail's entryway. 6 Things We Know About Brian Encinia, The Texas Trooper Who Arrested Sandra Bland. "When these kinds of things continue to occur, it's very very hard for families to heal, for the world to heal. By Nola Valente balked at Encinia's perjury misdemeanor charge. As for the former Texas state trooper who arrested Bland, the I-Team was unable to find current contact information for Brian Encinia. June 28, 2017. And they want us to trust law enforcement," Needham said. Kellie Chauvinm. Numerous NYPD officers told local public radio reporters in 2012 that they had been frozen out and labeled as snitches by colleagues after reporting corrupt activity to Internal Affairs. Amplifying Black voices through news that matters. ABC7 Chicago says farewell to Meteorologist Phil Schwarz, Arrest warrant issued for top NFL Draft prospect Jalen Carter, How officials cracked case of eyedrops that blinded people. A pair of officers in Chicago who helped federal officials catch a network of corrupt and abusive cops operating in one of the citys housing projects later said in December that they had been retaliated against by colleagues. Austin Zoning: 5 of 7 positions vacant, director, Wildflower forecast: What to expect in Central Texas, As Bowie archive finds new home at UK museum, start, 5 fun crafts for kids on St. Patricks Day, Inspired by the Iditarod race? Police said Bland died by suicide in her jail cell . The deciding factor, which might also eventually determine the pending wrongful death lawsuit that Bland's family has brought against Encinia and the department, is whether there was actually a credible threat of danger. Offers may be subject to change without notice. Bland had driven through a stop sign as she left the Prairie View A&M campus, but the trooper admitted he was unsure if it was on private or public property. I think its really unfortunate that he would continue to pervert his version of events, said attorney Cannon Lambert. Conflicting accountsfrom law enforcement officialsalso created a vacuum for alternativeexplanationsto blossom. Gary Hershorn, who spent more than 30 years as a photographyeditor for Reuters, said it would be easy to alterBland's eyes fromthe official mugshot to make them appear to roll back. Dash cam video shows Encinia, who later claimed that he was attempting to safely conduct a traffic investigation, threatening to use his taser, saying that he was going to light up Bland. Candidates who take her death seriously show me they take me seriously.. I dont know what happened, but something did, and to me, that was the reasonable suspicion.. The 28-year-old black woman was pulled over by a Texas state trooper in July 2015 after failing to signal a lane change. She shouldve never been arrested. The Bland family received a $1.9 million settlement in their wrongful-death suit. Trooper Encinia stated that he understood. Im too furious to add anything else constructive at the moment. Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. Prairie View, TX, police officer Michael Kelley says that a local prosecutor and police officials suppressed facts about Bland's initial arrest while investigating Brian Encinia, the man who actually cuffed and booked Bland. "In my opinion, Trooper Brian Encinia's actions were the . During Bland's arrest, Encinia threatened her with a taser, as Texas state Sen. Royce West confirmed. Sandra Bland/Place of birth. Find Brian Encinia current Net worth as well as Salary, Bio, Age, Height and Quick Facts! "I do believe that one day, I don't know in what capacity, but I do believe that my sister will get some form of justice," Needham said. AUSTIN (KXAN) Its dashcam footage that many will never forget and that sparked criticism around the country questioning police use of force. Texas lawmakers passed the Sandra Bland Act in 2017. Source Austin American-Statesman. Kellie Chauvinm. "I'm over it. New footage casts doubt on his . Sections of the document are heavily redacted. Who is Brian Encinia? Where is he now? Hours after the indictment, the Texas Department of Public Safety announced that Encinia would be fired from his post, reports the New York Times. On July 17, 2014, Eric Garner was killed in the New York City borough of Staten Island after Daniel Pantaleo, a New York City Police Department (NYPD) officer, put him in a prohibited chokehold while arresting him. (May 7), George Floyd. Page Six reported Friday that the former president "now has a regular gig" as a DJ at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida. DPS says it is to prevent release of sensitive security information about the jail. The question is, how seriously can they deliver. Former San Antonio mayor Julin Castro weighed in as well: The recently released video Sandra Bland took of her own arrest provides the latest example of a police justification for the death of an unarmed black person being revealed as a flat out lie, he wrote. HEMPSTEAD, Texas (AP) A judge dismissed a misdemeanor perjury charge against a fired Texas state trooper Wednesday in a case arising from his 2015 arrest of Sandra Bland, a black woman who was later found dead in a county jail. 2023 ESSENCE Communications Inc. All Rights Reserved. But for all that attention, and video evidence suggesting Blands only offense was getting angry with a cop she felt was mistreating her, the exact circumstances of her death remain unknown. At the conclusion of this investigation, any violations of protocols will be addressed. You cansubscribe to our print edition, ad-free app or electronic newspaper replica here. Yesterday afternoon, the grand jury, who declined to chargeany of the officers involved in Blands death, delivered the indictment. Encinia wrote in his affidavit that he had Bland exit the vehicle and handcuffed her after she became combative, and that she swung her elbows at him and kicked him in his right shin. Othersquestioned how a routine traffic stop could have escalated to an assault charge. WATCH: Dashcam video of Sandra Bland traffic stop. Click to copy. All Rights Reserved. (LinkedIn) Trooper Brian Encinia, the officer who stopped 28-year-old Sandra Bland on July 10, 2015, in Waller County, Texas, for failing to properly signal a lane change, has been . Diepraams boss, Waller County District Attorney Elton Mathis, denies Kelleys claims. Bland is heard on the video crying and in distress as she repeatedly tells officers that they were hurting her and that she couldn't hear after being slammed into the ground. . This decision does not mean that Encinia will not face criminal charges. The Post reported: "While the number of black males armed and unarmed who have been killed has fallen, black males continue to be shot at disproportionately high rates, the data shows. In May, the world responded with protests and riots after George Floyd died in Minneapolis police custody. Encinia is still assigned to administrative duty for the policy violations. NAPERVILLE, Ill. (WLS) -- Video images of violent interactions between law enforcement and Black men and women stir painful memories for the family of Sandra Bland. How rich is Brian Encinia in 2020-2021? Lawyers for Blands family have argued that Encinia did not have grounds for the arrest and escalated the confrontation. It's all in the hands of law enforcement.". how to get to quezon avenue mrt station Uncovering hot babes since 1919. For many Black Americans, these deaths and others have caused lasting trauma, Road trip for suburban woman ends in jailhouse death, BuzzFeed Helped Spread Far-Fetched Conspiracy Theories About Sandra Blands Death, Sandra Bland: Anonymous release video claiming to 'expose Texas police for releasing dead mugshot', Sandra Bland Death: Texas to Look Into Alleged Edits of Dashcam Video, #JusticeForSandy: Sandy Bland Death in Texas Jail Sparks Questions, Sandra Bland death triggers #IfIDieInPoliceCustody trend, Sandra Bland's family settles wrongful death case for $1.9M, Trooper Who Arrested Sandra Band Formally Fired, Newly released Sandra Bland video shows her alive at Texas jail before death, Social media speculates whether Bland is dead in mugshot. In the video, officer Brian Encinia shouts: Get out of the car! Bland was 28 years old. Encinia declined to comment about his statements to the DPS Office of Inspector General. Encinia's future seems up in the air, and as developments in the case proceed over the next few years, it's possible that he could still face criminal charges. "You have to be the best person that you can be, because you don't know who you are going to encounter on that day," said Needham. Al Sharpton, when he clearly said, Black lives matter.. Her death was ruled a suicide. After Bland asks why Encinia would threaten to drag me out of my own car, he pulls out his Taser. Watch: Booneville holds on to beat Morton 34-30 in MHSAA 3A Semifinals Scorebook Live; Montana Ag Report 3-1-23 KTVQ Billings, MT; Pedestrian deaths on the rise nationwide VOTE: Whats the best KXAN viewer photo of February? Uncredited/AP. I still did have a concern for the area of her control that I didnt know what was there, but I do agree that things couldve been done differently, said Encinia, when asked if he could have de-escalated the situation by telling Bland she was only being given a warning for the traffic violation. On July 10th, 2015, Sandra Bland was pulled over on the outskirts of Houston for failing to signal a lane change. If her video helps someone get there, all the better. As of recent reports, he is . Bryan has the knack to jump right into any coding language and become an expert extremely fast. And I previously wrote how South Bend, Ind., Mayor Pete Buttigiegs past use of the phrase All Lives Matter viewed by many as a rejection of the Black Lives Matter movement prompted suspicion about his views on policing. We rate the claim that Sandra Bland was dead in her mugshot photo FALSE, based on our research. Knowing he could not ticket Bland for failure to stop at the sign, Encinia went on to explain why he followed her. "I'm angry, absolutely. + Sandra Bland was found dead of suicide in a Texas jail cell in July 2015 after being arrested by state trooper Brian Encinia, who claimed she threatened his safety. AFacebook post from June 2020 that is regaining tractionrepeats theclaim that Bland was dead in her mugshotand purports to have photographic evidence. President Trump has largely defended law enforcement officers since launching his campaign. Sandra Bland's name appeared with others on t-shirts and signs at Black Lives Matter protests. The Texas Department of Public Safety recently released its investigation into the death of Sandra Bland in the Waller County jail in 2015. Barb Markoff, Christine Tressel and Ross Weidner. The first interview was conducted three months after Blands death in 2015. The defense team for Brian Encinia, the then-DPS trooper who arrested Sandra Bland, may ask for the trial to be moved outside Waller County. 20102021 His attorney did not return our call. Brian Encinia given written counseling while a probationary trooper Texas officials say Encinia violated internal policies during traffic stop The boots of Texas Department of Public Safety. In order for families, and the world, to begin to even trust law enforcement, there has to be accountability," she said. The decision to fire Brian Encinia, the Texas state trooper who arrested Sandra Bland, was upheld by the Texas Department of Public Safety, a news release says. Nola was previously a foreign correspondent in Jerusalem, Israel covering Middle East news through an internship with an American news outlet. Bland was pulled over for a minor traffic violation on July 10 by State Trooper Brian Encinia. Click here to read Sandra Bland Death Investigation, Editors Note: This story was first published Sept. 15, 2017. Three days later, Bland was found dead in jail, of an apparent suicide. We do not know exactly where he is right now in 2020. Six officers in Whittier, CA, sued for similar reasons there over a year ago. A Texas grand jury has opted to indict Brian Encinia, the Texas state trooper who arrested Sandra Bland three days before her July death, and charge him with perjury. Quick Facts: Where Is Brian Encinia Now? Brian Encinia, charged with perjury in the arrest of Sandra Bland, has turned himself in to authorities and is now out on bail. https://t.co/YjgKMNDGKV, A ticket for a FAILURE TO SIGNAL lead to #SandraBlands death at the hands of police. 2010-2021 Derek Chauvin/Wife. When the California legislature considered a bill in 2015 that would have required the office of the attorney general, who was Harris at the time, to appoint a special prosecutor to examine deadly police shootings, Harris told the San Francisco Chronicle: I dont think it would be good public policy to take the discretion from elected district attorneys.. | Create your free profile or log in to save this video. Texas Department of Public Safety released a statement, visiting criminal law scholar at the University of Houston. Dont miss reporting and analysis from the Hill and the White House. A native Texan, Nola serves as reporter for the Katy edition of Community Impact Newspaper. Brian Encinia is an ex-state trooper in Texas. "It is a threat to all police officers in the state of Texas of a runaway grand jury or a rogue prosecutor deciding to . And even though we may have experienced some similar things, the pain is different for everyone. Trooper Encinia did not follow the seven step violator contact by not telling the violator what action that he was going to take. What is Trading in Cryptocurrency and Where to Practice It. Trayvon Martin. | The Texas Tribune Trooper fired for Sandra Bland stop: My safety was in jeopardy. Former Texas Department of Safety Trooper Brian Encinia says he feared for his personal safety after pulling over Sandra Bland in Waller County on July 21, 2015. At the time, the police officer who arrested Bland said he feared for his life. The traffic stop quickly escalated and Bland was arrested. tweeted: Immediately re-open the investigation into Sandra Blands arrest and death. Our fact check work is supported in part by a grant from Facebook. Bland was detained, and three days later, she was found hanging in her jail cell. Who was the Texas state trooper that pulled over Sandra Bland? His attorney did not return our call. 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