A prosecutor can still go to trial if he or she believes that the evidence is strong enough to warrant one, and there will still be a grand jury regarding the events surrounding the arrest. ", Encinia wrote in a report that Bland had become combative and was swinging and kicking at him. "In my opinion, Trooper Brian Encinia's actions were the . 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 Now.". If her video helps someone get there, all the better. The video calls into question the officers account of the event. At the time, the police officer who arrested Bland said he feared for his life. Knowing he could not ticket Bland for failure to stop at the sign, Encinia went on to explain why he followed her. "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. ESSENCE.com is part of ESSENCE Communications, Inc. As of recent reports, he is currently 34 years of age. 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. Encinia had claimed in an affidavit that Bland was "combative and uncooperative," which grand jurors determined to be untrue. For many Black Americans, these deaths and others have caused lasting trauma. Who is Brian Encinia? 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. "I'm angry, absolutely. 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. The Texas Department of Public Safety released a statement announcing that Encinia would be placed on indefinite desk duty for violations of department protocols on July 17, four days after Bland was found dead in her Waller County jail cell. Even though trooper Brian Encinia had been on the job for about a year, the records give a glimpse of his background. This case should be reopened and justice should finally be served., Nina Turner, co-chair of the presidential campaign of Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), called the video gut-wrenching and unacceptable.. "But I pray for them and I just pray for better days for America because America is messed up right now.". The state Public Safety department moved to fire Encinia after his perjury indictment in January accused him of lying about the confrontation. Skepticism of official narratives about Bland's death has persisted online for years. Sandra Bland's family describes their journey of pain since her death. A . Sections of the document are heavily redacted. Was Brian Encinia scared during Sandra Bland traffic stop? The trooper, Brian T. Encinia, approached Ms. Bland's car, took her information and returned to his vehicle to write out a citation. When George Floyd died last spring, emotions from the Bland family tragedy were rekindled. Video of the traffic stop and Bland's death -- which the county coroner ultimately ruled suicide -- prompted investigations by the Texas Rangers and the FBI. Othersquestioned how a routine traffic stop could have escalated to an assault charge. And even though we may have experienced some similar things, the pain is different for everyone. He completed his education at Texas A&M University. Lawyers for Blands family have argued that Encinia did not have grounds for the arrest and escalated the confrontation. "Like, how many more? A Texas trooper indicted over his arrest of a black woman who was later found dead in jail has been formally fired, three months after his bosses first announced they would do so, state officials . And he was met with applause last month while speaking at a convention of the National Action Network, founded by the Rev. USA TODAY reached out to several Facebook users who shared the postsfor comment. Bystander video shows Bland on the ground after she had been pulled from her car. For now, he remains employed by the . Because all I could think about was the knee in my sister's back from Officer Encinia," said Needham. Both incriminating details were removed from Kelleys incident report before it was officially filed, the officer says. We do not know exactly where he is right now in 2020. (Designed by Jos Dennis/Community Impact Newspaper). 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 . 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. Encinia had been accused of failing to act courteously during his July traffic stop of Bland, prolonging her detention, violating general orders and perjury. I think he is afraid of what happened. 5:15 PM Jul 23, 2020 CDT, Here is a list of events leading to the Sandra Bland Act, which became a state law in 2017. Thank you for supporting our journalism. When Chicago cops killed Laquan McDonald in late 2014, the official story was that the knife-wielding teenager had lunged at officers who fired in self-defense. 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. Nationwide tensions over the deathsof Black Americans in police custody particularly at traffic stopsandevidence that law enforcement officialsedited several segments from the dashcam videoalso heightened skepticism. Trooper Brian Encinia was fired after failing to rebut disciplinary charges leveled against him in January, Public Safety Director Steven McCraw . 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy, TinEye Reverse Image Search, accessed June 18. Container: FLAC (tracks) Quality: Hi-Fi, lossless audio Sample Rate: 44100 Hz / 16 bit, Stereo Source: CD Album Artist/Name: Brian Eno - Rams - Original Soundtrack Album Genre: Ambient Release Date: 2020 www publisher: hd24bit.com ArtWork: not included 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.. Six years after the highly publicizeddeath of Sandra Bland in police custody, social media users continue to circulate aconspiracy theorythat police took mugshots after Bland had already died. The DA also insinuated Kelley is only trying to distract from his own misdemeanor indictment over using a taser on city councilman Jonathan Miller in 2015. Encinia is still assigned to administrative duty for the policy violations. He told me it wouldnt be good for my career, Kelley told McLaughlin, adding that Assistant District Attorney Warren Diepraam also threatened to put him beneath the jail if he went public with his story. Minnesota Derek Chauvin/Place of birth. The second interview was done on Feb. 22, 2016, after he was indicted by a Waller County grand jury on a perjury charge. Needham said grassroots movements across the country pushing for police reform give her hope, but she continues to have lay-it-on-the-line conversations with her two sons about interacting with officers. She and eight other Mothers of the Movementseven of whom lost their children to police violence, one of whom lost her daughter to gang violence in Chicago, and one of whom had her son killed by a white Florida man who had gotten angry with he and his friends for playing music too loudplayed a prominent role in Tuesday nights Democratic National Convention proceedings. I'm angry that my sister passed five years ago and they are still killing us. When asked why he did not tell Bland why she was under arrest, Encinia said,I dont have a reason for that, no sir., Encinia denied racially profiling Bland, who was upset after being pulled over for not using her turn signal when changing lanes after the trooper raced up behind her. We rate the claim that Sandra Bland was dead in her mugshot photo FALSE, based on our research. Kelley got to the scene too late to see exactly what happened between Encinia and Bland during the key moments off a dash-cam video where the two are out of frame and Bland says hes knocked her head against the pavement. 2023 ESSENCE Communications Inc. All Rights Reserved. Waller County settled a wrongful death lawsuit withBlands family for $1.9 million. The new video from Sandra Bland's vantage point shows former Texas State Trooper Brian Encinia pulling a taser on her as she sat in the . Dont miss reporting and analysis from the Hill and the White House. A Texas grand jury decided not to hand down indictments against anyone connected to the death of Sandra Bland, including her arresting officer, Texas state trooper Brian Encinia. Create your free profile or log in to save this video. Now, Bland's family is alleging that the Texas Department of Public Safety . On July 10, 2015,Blandwas booked into the Waller Countyjail after being charged with assaulting Encinia,who had stopped Bland for failing to signal a turn while driving. Former Texas Department of Safety Trooper Brian Encinia said he feared for his personal safety after pulling over Sandra Bland in Waller County on July 21, 2015. Lawyers for Bland's family have argued that Texas state trooper Brian Encinia had no grounds for the July arrest. tweeted: Immediately re-open the investigation into Sandra Blands arrest and death. Amplifying Black voices through news that matters. In the podcast Texas Standard, Jim Harrington, director of the Texas Civil Rights Project, says that Encinia had no legal authority to order Bland to put out her cigarette or to exit her car. This recording raises new questions about Encinias account and the investigation that followed. After reviewing the in-car video of the incident and speaking with Trooper Encinia, I have the following concerns: I believe that the concerns listed above are training related. Maybe she fell when she was in handcuffs. Joseph Wulfsohn / Fox News: Brian Stelter defends 2020 media coverage of Hunter Biden laptop story: We never labeled it 'disinformation' . Here are the best, CMT Music Awards ticket presale starts Wednesday. Trayvon Martin. Brian Encinia. Brian Encinia Audio Interview after Bland Death (81 minutes), Brian Encinia Interview after Indictment (24 minutes). Trooper Encinia appears to display rude behavior by asking the violator why she seemed irritated and then, when she quits talking, asking her if she is done. All we know is that he is not active on any social media platforms. | 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. Orta was transferred multiple times during his imprisonment. Brian Encinia, charged with perjury in the arrest of Sandra Bland, has turned himself in to authorities and is now out on bail. All we know is that he is not active on any social media platforms. Bland, a 28-year-old Black woman, was arrestedin July 2015 for allegedly assaulting Texasstate trooper Brian Enciniaduringa traffic stop. His attorney did not return our call. He has not mentioned Bland since this new video was released. The lengthy dashcam video of Encinia and Blands encounter, followed by the comparative dearth of clear information on what happened to her in the three days between her arrest and when she was found dead in a county jail cell, made the incident a national headline. My primary concern was with that purse, with her console, as far as being any kinds of weapons or drugs or, its unknown to me. Encinia was eventually charged, but only with perjurya decision that sparked further outrage. Regardless of the situation, the DPS state trooper has an obligation to exhibit professionalism and be courteous, said DPS Director Steve McCraw. As USA TODAY reported in 2015, video from the Waller County jail provedBland was alive while her mugshots were taken. There is an established pattern of police backing up a colleagues lie for as long as possible, then having their cover-up exposed by video or outside investigations. AUSTIN (KXAN) Its dashcam footage that many will never forget and that sparked criticism around the country questioning police use of force. How many more bodies do we have to see? Nation Aug 1, 2015 3:44 PM EST. The video sparked renewed conversation about police misconduct against black Americans. 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. It also shows he did not follow procedure when he didnt tell Bland what action he was going to take and the situation had already gotten out of hand. | Privacy Policy | Terms of Use | Essence.com Advertising Terms. US Casinos With FreeSpins: Why Players Like No-Deposit Bonuses? If you use a windshield cover, you can at least forget about scrapping the ice off your windshield to save some time and hassle. ButHershorn saidbased on the low-resolutionFacebook post it's impossible to tell forcertain whether the image was manipulated. Encinia, who still awaits trial on the perjury indictment, may appeal his firing under department rules. 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. Diepraams boss, Waller County District Attorney Elton Mathis, denies Kelleys claims. Where was Derek Chauvin born? I will light you up!. The now-fired trooper, Brian Encinia, was indicted on a charge of perjury in January 2016 for allegedly lying in the report he filed after Bland's arrest. Trooper Encinia stated that he understood. The trooper, Brian Encinia, would later be fired and charged with perjury, though the charge wouldn't stick. And when a grand jury was weighing an indictment against Enciniawho was eventually charged with perjury and fired from the Prairie View forceKelley wanted to testify to what hed seen and heard, but says the prosecutor would not let him. AUSTIN, Texas (AP) Cellphone video recorded by Sandra Bland, a black woman found dead in a Texas jail following a confrontational 2015 traffic stop, shows for the first time her perspective as a white state trooper draws his stun gun and points it at close range while ordering her out of her car 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 Connect with the definitive source for global and local news. Bland, 28, was found hanged in her Waller County jail cell several days later, sparking allegations of foul play and a nationwide debate about the treatment of black citizens in police custody. Al Sharpton, when he clearly said, Black lives matter.. Trooper Brian Encinia has been indicted on charges of lying about his arrest of Bland, later found hanged in a jail cell. "We all need each other. "I'm over it. 20102021 At the conclusion of this investigation, any violations of protocols will be addressed. 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. Bland was found three days after her arrest hanged with a plastic bag in her cell. 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. South Carolina officer Michael Slager was charged with murdering Walter Scottbut only after cell phone video from a bystander proved that cops had been lying about Scotts death for days. Where is he now? By clicking Sign Up, you agree to our WATCH: Dashcam video of Sandra Bland traffic stop. He has said he did not understand the context of the phrase at the time. Offers may be subject to change without notice. (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 . I also advised him to be mindful of comments that may come across as rude when he is dealing with the public. President Trump has largely defended law enforcement officers since launching his campaign. "That did not happen in this situation. Five years after Bland's death, accountability in her case is something Sandra's sister says the family still awaits. My safety was in jeopardy at more than one time, said Encinia, during an interview by the agencys Office of Inspector General, when asked if he was scared during the traffic stop. During Sandra Bland was dead in her case is something Sandra 's says. Officers account of where is brian encinia now 2020 event will never forget and that sparked criticism around the country questioning use! 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