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| Nothing in Sandra Bland autopsy suggests homicide, Texas official says | Nothing in Sandra Bland autopsy suggests homicide, Texas official says |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The first assistant district attorney for Waller County said on Thursday that there is nothing in the autopsy report to suggest that Sandra Bland died by homicide, and that preliminary tests indicate she had ingested a significant quantity of marijuana. | The first assistant district attorney for Waller County said on Thursday that there is nothing in the autopsy report to suggest that Sandra Bland died by homicide, and that preliminary tests indicate she had ingested a significant quantity of marijuana. |
| Warren Diepraam, who is overseeing the scientific aspects of the investigation, told a news conference that the autopsy, conducted in Houston, classed Bland’s death as suicide by hanging. Her family have repeatedly rejected the idea that she killed herself. | Warren Diepraam, who is overseeing the scientific aspects of the investigation, told a news conference that the autopsy, conducted in Houston, classed Bland’s death as suicide by hanging. Her family have repeatedly rejected the idea that she killed herself. |
| Bland was found hanged in her cell in a Texas county jail on 13 July, three days after a routine traffic stop escalated into a physical confrontation. | Bland was found hanged in her cell in a Texas county jail on 13 July, three days after a routine traffic stop escalated into a physical confrontation. |
| “In a violent homicide or a murder where one person takes another person’s life it is typical to see some sort of injuries on a person’s hands,” Diepraam said. “They were clear of any injuries.” He said there were no injuries on her face consistent with a violent attack, nor did the ligature mark on her neck suggest murder. | “In a violent homicide or a murder where one person takes another person’s life it is typical to see some sort of injuries on a person’s hands,” Diepraam said. “They were clear of any injuries.” He said there were no injuries on her face consistent with a violent attack, nor did the ligature mark on her neck suggest murder. |
| “The mark on the neck is a uniform and consistent mark on the neck,” he said. “Had this been a violent struggle or a murder you would most likely not expect to see a consistent and uniform mark around her neck.” | “The mark on the neck is a uniform and consistent mark on the neck,” he said. “Had this been a violent struggle or a murder you would most likely not expect to see a consistent and uniform mark around her neck.” |
| Related: Sandra Bland dashcam video raises doubts about officer's basis for arrest | Related: Sandra Bland dashcam video raises doubts about officer's basis for arrest |
| He said there were “lacerations or abrasions on her wrists which are consistent with being handcuffed or struggling during the handcuffing process” and “scabs consistent with somebody applying force against her back”, though he said that the marks do not reveal who made them. | He said there were “lacerations or abrasions on her wrists which are consistent with being handcuffed or struggling during the handcuffing process” and “scabs consistent with somebody applying force against her back”, though he said that the marks do not reveal who made them. |
| “No one has made any decision on whether any crimes have occurred. Those investigations are still ongoing,” Elton Mathis, the Waller County district attorney, said. | “No one has made any decision on whether any crimes have occurred. Those investigations are still ongoing,” Elton Mathis, the Waller County district attorney, said. |
| In addition to the Texas department of public safety’s investigation into trooper Brian Encinia’s conduct during the traffic stop, his office could potentially open a criminal investigation, Mathis said. | In addition to the Texas department of public safety’s investigation into trooper Brian Encinia’s conduct during the traffic stop, his office could potentially open a criminal investigation, Mathis said. |
| “I was not happy when I saw that video,” he said. | “I was not happy when I saw that video,” he said. |
| In the dashcam footage of her arrest, which shows the arresting officer threatening to drag her out of her car and “light her up” with a Taser, Bland can be heard complaining that the arresting officer has placed his knee on her back. | In the dashcam footage of her arrest, which shows the arresting officer threatening to drag her out of her car and “light her up” with a Taser, Bland can be heard complaining that the arresting officer has placed his knee on her back. |
| Diepraam said that there were about 30 cut marks on her left wrist which were “not indicative of recent infliction” and were an estimated two to four weeks old. | Diepraam said that there were about 30 cut marks on her left wrist which were “not indicative of recent infliction” and were an estimated two to four weeks old. |
| He said Bland “tested positive for marijuana and I can tell you that the active marijuana in a person’s system metabolizes very fast. To have it in her system after three days is … indicative of a large amount of marijuana being smoked.” | He said Bland “tested positive for marijuana and I can tell you that the active marijuana in a person’s system metabolizes very fast. To have it in her system after three days is … indicative of a large amount of marijuana being smoked.” |
| Diepraam said that more test results were expected on Friday which could indicate the approximate time that the 28-year-old took the drug. “We have no idea where she may have ingested the marijuana,” he said. “It is hypothetically possible that she could have ingested it in the jail … practically anything can be smuggled into any jail.” | Diepraam said that more test results were expected on Friday which could indicate the approximate time that the 28-year-old took the drug. “We have no idea where she may have ingested the marijuana,” he said. “It is hypothetically possible that she could have ingested it in the jail … practically anything can be smuggled into any jail.” |
| He said that the sheriff had searched the jail and asked other inmates if they had seen or smelled anything suggesting marijuana use but uncovered no evidence that Bland had smoked the drug there. “It is a mood amplifier so it is relevant in our opinion,” he said. | He said that the sheriff had searched the jail and asked other inmates if they had seen or smelled anything suggesting marijuana use but uncovered no evidence that Bland had smoked the drug there. “It is a mood amplifier so it is relevant in our opinion,” he said. |
| Her family said on Wednesday the idea that Bland would kill herself was “unfathomable”. | Her family said on Wednesday the idea that Bland would kill herself was “unfathomable”. |
| A voicemail left by Bland from the jail for a friend was obtained by KTRK, a Houston television station, in which she says: “I just was able to see the judge … They got me set at a $5,000 bond. I’m just still at a loss for words about this whole process, how this switching lanes with no signal turned into all of this, I don’t even know.” | A voicemail left by Bland from the jail for a friend was obtained by KTRK, a Houston television station, in which she says: “I just was able to see the judge … They got me set at a $5,000 bond. I’m just still at a loss for words about this whole process, how this switching lanes with no signal turned into all of this, I don’t even know.” |
| Her mental state at the time of her imprisonment remains unclear. | Her mental state at the time of her imprisonment remains unclear. |
| Waller County officials released jail booking forms on Wednesday in which Bland reported feeling depressed and said she tried to kill herself last year with pills after a “lost baby”. But on another form, filled out about three hours later, the year of the suicide attempt is listed as 2015 and the responses indicate Bland was not feeling depressed or suicidal. | Waller County officials released jail booking forms on Wednesday in which Bland reported feeling depressed and said she tried to kill herself last year with pills after a “lost baby”. But on another form, filled out about three hours later, the year of the suicide attempt is listed as 2015 and the responses indicate Bland was not feeling depressed or suicidal. |
| The family’s attorney, Cannon Lambert, did not immediately return a request for comment. | The family’s attorney, Cannon Lambert, did not immediately return a request for comment. |
| Officers failed to follow state guidelines after Bland’s initial standard mental health screening when she arrived at the county jail. Bland indicated in a questionnaire that she had previously attempted suicide, experienced a recent loss and had been depressed. | |
| Those responses mean the correct procedure would have been for jailers to notify a magistrate who would then determine whether she should be examined by mental health professionals, according to Texas Commission on Jail Standards recommendations. | |
| The commission’s executive director, Brandon Wood, told the Guardian that his agency has “discussed that with [Waller county jail officials] and provided them with technical support” to help them comply in future. | |
| As the instructions are only recommendations the jail will not face censure, but following an inspection last week it was judged to have failed to meet minimum standards for mental health training. The commission also found that the jail had failed to perform sufficient in-person checks on inmates. It is required to provide a plan of action within 30 days to show how it will rectify those failings. | |
| The sheriff’s office said in a statement on Thursday that Bland was not placed on suicide watch, “based on jail staff observations”, meaning jailers checked on her every hour instead of every 15 minutes. | |
| Diepraam said that discrepancies between answers in the initial screening and in another questionnaire seemingly completed nearly three hours later by another officer were as a result of Bland giving different responses. |