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'What happened to Sandy?': protesters tie Sandra Bland case to US race tensions 'What happened to Sandy?': protesters tie Sandra Bland case to US race tensions
(about 17 hours later)
Related: Foul play suspicions raised in Illinois woman's alleged suicide in Texas jailRelated: Foul play suspicions raised in Illinois woman's alleged suicide in Texas jail
Demonstrators in Texas have staged a protest outside the county jail where a black woman was found hanged in her cell, three days after she was arrested following an altercation stemming from a stop for a minor traffic infraction. Demonstrators in Texas on Friday staged a protest outside the county jail where a black woman was found hanged in her cell, three days after she was arrested following an altercation stemming from a stop for a minor traffic infraction.
About 150 people gathered on Friday at the Waller county jail, at a building that also houses the sheriff’s office, then marched the half-mile distance to the courthouse in the small town of Hempstead, near Houston. About 150 people gathered at the Waller county jail, at a building that also houses the sheriff’s office, then marched the half-mile distance to the courthouse in the small town of Hempstead, near Houston.
Some carried posters asking: “What happened to Sandy?” The official account is that Sandra Bland, a 28-year-old from Chicago who had just moved to Texas to take up a college job, asphyxiated herself in her cell on Monday morning using a plastic bag.Some carried posters asking: “What happened to Sandy?” The official account is that Sandra Bland, a 28-year-old from Chicago who had just moved to Texas to take up a college job, asphyxiated herself in her cell on Monday morning using a plastic bag.
But her family called that conclusion “unfathomable” in a news conference in Chicago on Thursday. And it was not a version of events that protesters found credible, especially in the context of recent high-profile examples of African Americans being killed by law enforcement nationwide. And not in Waller County, which has a long history of racial tension.But her family called that conclusion “unfathomable” in a news conference in Chicago on Thursday. And it was not a version of events that protesters found credible, especially in the context of recent high-profile examples of African Americans being killed by law enforcement nationwide. And not in Waller County, which has a long history of racial tension.
Later on Friday, the Texas Department of Public Safety issued a statement saying that it found in a preliminary review that its procedures were violated during the traffic stop and the state trooper involved was now on desk duty.
“We have identified violations of the department’s procedures regarding traffic stops and the department’s courtesy policy,” it said. “Pending the outcome of the Texas Ranger and FBI investigation into this incident, the employee involved has been assigned administrative duties.”The statement added that the FBI would conduct a review of video related to the case, and the footage would be shared with the public “as soon as possible”.
Related: The Texas county where Sandra Bland died: there's 'racism from cradle to grave'Related: The Texas county where Sandra Bland died: there's 'racism from cradle to grave'
Bland’s luggage still sits in LaVaughn Mosley’s home. She was planning on staying with the 57-year-old, a counsellor who works with senior citizens. They first met about a decade ago when she was a student at nearby Prairie View A&M University and he gave her a summer job.Bland’s luggage still sits in LaVaughn Mosley’s home. She was planning on staying with the 57-year-old, a counsellor who works with senior citizens. They first met about a decade ago when she was a student at nearby Prairie View A&M University and he gave her a summer job.
Bland drove down from Chicago last Thursday, arriving in Waller County on Friday for a job interview at the university, her alma mater. She dropped off her bags at his house. Her elation at being offered the post turned to anger, he said, after she was pulled over by police in what turned into a confrontation that saw her being pushed to the ground and charged with assault of a public servant.Bland drove down from Chicago last Thursday, arriving in Waller County on Friday for a job interview at the university, her alma mater. She dropped off her bags at his house. Her elation at being offered the post turned to anger, he said, after she was pulled over by police in what turned into a confrontation that saw her being pushed to the ground and charged with assault of a public servant.
They spoke on the phone on Friday night at 10.25pm, Mosley said. Bland said she was slammed to the ground during the incident.They spoke on the phone on Friday night at 10.25pm, Mosley said. Bland said she was slammed to the ground during the incident.
She reportedly posted a video on Facebook in March in which she described herself as battling depression, but Mosley said that was not a reliable indicator of her mindset when she arrived in Texas. Nothing in her personality or behaviour suggested she would take her own life, and she had not been clinically diagnosed as depressed, he said.She reportedly posted a video on Facebook in March in which she described herself as battling depression, but Mosley said that was not a reliable indicator of her mindset when she arrived in Texas. Nothing in her personality or behaviour suggested she would take her own life, and she had not been clinically diagnosed as depressed, he said.
“I talked to her on Friday night. She was upbeat, looking forward to posting bond and moving forward,” he said. “This is a girl who had a thirst for life … she did not exhibit any suicidal characteristics.”“I talked to her on Friday night. She was upbeat, looking forward to posting bond and moving forward,” he said. “This is a girl who had a thirst for life … she did not exhibit any suicidal characteristics.”
NBC Chicago reported that she had had at least 10 previous encounters with police in Illinois and Texas.NBC Chicago reported that she had had at least 10 previous encounters with police in Illinois and Texas.
Her family is expected to arrive in Texas this weekend and will meet with investigators. A pastor from Houston at the protest, James Nash, said her death showed a need for video cameras to be installed in all jail cells. Aja Stewart, a 22-year-old student at Prairie View, an historically black college, said that as a black person she did not trust the local police, especially after a traffic stop last year.Her family is expected to arrive in Texas this weekend and will meet with investigators. A pastor from Houston at the protest, James Nash, said her death showed a need for video cameras to be installed in all jail cells. Aja Stewart, a 22-year-old student at Prairie View, an historically black college, said that as a black person she did not trust the local police, especially after a traffic stop last year.
“I have been pulled over by a Waller County police officer. You can tell by their demeanour that they have some sort of dislike for African American individuals,” she said. “He claimed that I was speeding, going 55 in a 45 zone, and I know for a fact I wasn’t. He was just very rude … to avoid confrontation I just took the ticket.”“I have been pulled over by a Waller County police officer. You can tell by their demeanour that they have some sort of dislike for African American individuals,” she said. “He claimed that I was speeding, going 55 in a 45 zone, and I know for a fact I wasn’t. He was just very rude … to avoid confrontation I just took the ticket.”
Mosley said that he believed “without a doubt” that law enforcement in the area is institutionally racist, a legacy of Waller County’s segregated past. “It’s hard to remove a stain. You can bleach it, do what you can to remove it, and there’s always going to be a faint resemblance,” he said.Mosley said that he believed “without a doubt” that law enforcement in the area is institutionally racist, a legacy of Waller County’s segregated past. “It’s hard to remove a stain. You can bleach it, do what you can to remove it, and there’s always going to be a faint resemblance,” he said.
The Houston Chronicle reported that in the wake of Bland’s death the Texas Commission on Jail Standards found the jail to be not in compliance with requirements that staff observe inmates at least once every hour and that the jail did not meet minimum standards of training for staff handling potentially suicidal inmates. The agency’s executive director, Brandon Wood, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.The Houston Chronicle reported that in the wake of Bland’s death the Texas Commission on Jail Standards found the jail to be not in compliance with requirements that staff observe inmates at least once every hour and that the jail did not meet minimum standards of training for staff handling potentially suicidal inmates. The agency’s executive director, Brandon Wood, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.