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Sandra Bland’s Family Settles $1.9 Million Civil Suit, Lawyer Says Sandra Bland’s Family Settles $1.9 Million Civil Suit, Lawyer Says
(about 4 hours later)
The family of Sandra Bland, the woman who Texas officials said committed suicide in jail last year after her arrest during a traffic stop, has agreed to a $1.9 million settlement in their wrongful-death civil suit, the family’s lawyer said on Thursday. But state and county officials said there was no final agreement.The family of Sandra Bland, the woman who Texas officials said committed suicide in jail last year after her arrest during a traffic stop, has agreed to a $1.9 million settlement in their wrongful-death civil suit, the family’s lawyer said on Thursday. But state and county officials said there was no final agreement.
The lawyer, Cannon Lambert, said in a telephone interview that the final details of the settlement had been concluded Wednesday night. They include making changes in jail procedures and providing damages for the family.The lawyer, Cannon Lambert, said in a telephone interview that the final details of the settlement had been concluded Wednesday night. They include making changes in jail procedures and providing damages for the family.
The settlement would require the Waller County jail, where Ms. Bland’s body was found in a cell in July 2015, to pay $1.8 million of the settlement, he said, and the Texas Department of Public Safety to pay $100,000, the maximum allowed by law. The settlement would require the Waller County jail, where the body of Ms. Bland, 28, was found in a cell in July 2015, to pay $1.8 million of the settlement, he said, and the Texas Department of Public Safety to pay $100,000, the maximum allowed by law.
After Mr. Lambert’s announcement, a statement from the lawyer representing Waller County, Larry J. Simmons, said that a few details still needed to be worked out in the “potential” settlement agreement and that it needed to be approved by the county commissioner’s court.After Mr. Lambert’s announcement, a statement from the lawyer representing Waller County, Larry J. Simmons, said that a few details still needed to be worked out in the “potential” settlement agreement and that it needed to be approved by the county commissioner’s court.
“The Waller County defendants also emphasize they vigorously deny any fault or wrongdoing, and the potential settlement does not involve any such admissions,” Mr. Simmons said in the emailed statement.“The Waller County defendants also emphasize they vigorously deny any fault or wrongdoing, and the potential settlement does not involve any such admissions,” Mr. Simmons said in the emailed statement.
A statement from Tom Vinger, a spokesman with the Texas Department of Public Safety, said the department had not settled any litigation related to Ms. Bland. He declined to provide further details. A statement from Tom Vinger, a spokesman with the Texas Department of Public Safety, said it had not settled any litigation related to Ms. Bland. He declined to provide more details.
Mr. Lambert could not immediately be reached later on Thursday for questions about the state and county remarks.Mr. Lambert could not immediately be reached later on Thursday for questions about the state and county remarks.
Mr. Lambert said there were also conditions of the settlement, including a requirement for sensors to be used at the jail to ensure that detainee checks were done accurately and could not be falsified. He said the jail agreed to ensure there was a duty nurse or emergency medical technician on all shifts. Mr. Lambert said there were also conditions of the settlement, including a requirement for sensors to be used at the jail to ensure that detainee checks were done accurately and could not be falsified. He said the jail agreed to ensure that there was a duty nurse or emergency medical technician on all shifts.
In addition, according to Mr. Lambert, the Waller County judge, Carbett J. Duhon III, the region’s chief executive officer, agreed to push for more funding to improve booking, training and other jail functions through legislation named for Ms. Bland.In addition, according to Mr. Lambert, the Waller County judge, Carbett J. Duhon III, the region’s chief executive officer, agreed to push for more funding to improve booking, training and other jail functions through legislation named for Ms. Bland.
The Texas attorney general’s office declined to comment on Thursday after Mr. Lambert’s announcement The Texas attorney general’s office declined to comment on Thursday after Mr. Lambert’s announcement.
Trooper Brian T. Encinia, who stopped Ms. Bland’s car in Prairie View, Tex. on July 10, 2015, was fired from the Department of Public Safety in January after a Waller County grand jury concluded that he had lied about the reason for her removal from her car. He was indicted on a charge of misdemeanor perjury, pleaded not guilty to the charge and was released on a $2,500 bond. Trooper Brian T. Encinia, who stopped Ms. Bland’s car in Prairie View on July 10, 2015, was fired from the Department of Public Safety in January after a Waller County grand jury concluded that he had lied about the reason for her removal from her car. He was indicted on a charge of misdemeanor perjury, pleaded not guilty to the charge and was released on a $2,500 bond.
Two members of Mr. Encinia’s legal team — the Houston lawyer Chip B. Lewis and the Hempstead lawyer Larkin C. Eakin — said the ex-trooper has received numerous death threats and was forced to move from his Houston-area home to an undisclosed location. Two members of Mr. Encinia’s legal team — a Houston lawyer, Chip B. Lewis, and a Hempstead lawyer, Larkin C. Eakin — said the former trooper has received death threats and was forced to move from his Houston-area home to an undisclosed location.
The federal lawsuit filed by Geneva Reed-Veal, Ms. Bland’s mother, in August 2015, contended that Ms. Bland should not have been arrested and that she was later held in dangerous conditions without proper supervision.The federal lawsuit filed by Geneva Reed-Veal, Ms. Bland’s mother, in August 2015, contended that Ms. Bland should not have been arrested and that she was later held in dangerous conditions without proper supervision.
Mr. Lambert said that Ms. Reed-Veal had pushed for the nonfinancial conditions because she wanted to help other mothers who were going through the same circumstances.Mr. Lambert said that Ms. Reed-Veal had pushed for the nonfinancial conditions because she wanted to help other mothers who were going through the same circumstances.
Ms. Bland was in Texas to take a job at Prairie View A&M University, a historically black institution in East Texas, when she was pulled over. Ms. Bland was in Texas to take a job at Prairie View A&M University, a historically black institution, when she was pulled over.
A dashcam video that was later released showed the mundane stop escalating rapidly when Trooper Encinia, who is white, asked Ms. Bland, who was African-American, to extinguish a cigarette, and she declined.A dashcam video that was later released showed the mundane stop escalating rapidly when Trooper Encinia, who is white, asked Ms. Bland, who was African-American, to extinguish a cigarette, and she declined.
Trooper Encinia ordered her out of the car, threatened her with a stun gun and forcefully arrested her.Trooper Encinia ordered her out of the car, threatened her with a stun gun and forcefully arrested her.
On July 11, Ms. Bland, 28, told her siblings in Illinois that she had been arrested on a felony charge of assaulting a public servant. On July 13, Ms. Bland’s family was informed by the authorities in Waller County that she had died in her jail cell that morning, apparently in a suicide. On July 11, Ms. Bland told her siblings in Illinois that she had been arrested on a felony charge of assaulting a public servant. On July 13, Ms. Bland’s family was informed by the authorities in Waller County that she had died in her jail cell that morning, apparently in a suicide.