A lady of color, out of state and being irritated for having been pulled over by a police officer … an excellent object to find an offence so she can be apprehended. What a ridiculous sequence of events .. Ms Bland was clearly targeted by police officer for further escalation. Department’s courtesy policy .. a messed-up cop, a racially biased county and an unnecessary death.
- The messy, confusing double legacy of Waller County history has persisted to the present,
most recently embodied in the death of Sandra Bland in a county jail cell. Bland, a 28-year-old
from Chicago, was on a road trip to start a new job at her alma mater, historically-black Prairie
View A&M University, when she was pulled over by a state trooper for failing to signal a turn.
Trooper’s Actions During Arrest of Sandra Bland Called Legal, But Perhaps Unwise, Experts Say
The FBI and Texas Rangers are investigating the circumstances of Bland’s death. The Texas Department of Public Safety has placed Encinia on desk duty after it found “violations of procedures regarding traffic stops and the department’s courtesy policy.”
NBC law enforcement analyst Jim Cavanaugh said the arrest appears to be unnecessary. “He’s escalating it by yelling at her and not explaining why he wants her to get out,” Cavanaugh said.
“Her not getting out of the car could be a reason to arrest her — but why did it even have to come to that? She did not appear to be a danger to the trooper inside her car,” Cavanaugh said.
Encina wrote in an arrest affidavit that Bland “became combative” during the stop, that she was placed in handcuffs for officer safety, and that she swung her elbows and kicked him.
Chin said the Supreme Court has ruled that officers can order anyone out of their vehicle for nearly any reason in the name of officer safety.
“I do think the officer lost his temper and decided to make the arrest not necessarily because of any legitimate law enforcement reason, but because he was irritated,” he said.
Related:
○ District Attorney Elton Mathis of Waller County Texas
○ Sheriff and Prosecutor ‘Investigating’ Police Murder of Civil Rights Activist Have Racist Histories
○ Waller County had among the highest numbers of lynchings in the state between 1877 and 1950
Community groups call for removal of Waller County district attorney | June 2014 |
WALLER COUNTY, Texas – Several community groups are calling for the removal or resignation of the Waller County district attorney.
At a news conference, Pastor Walter Pendleton [of CBBA] accused Elton Mathis, the District Attorney of Waller County, of sending him threatening text messages after Pendleton requested information about the prosecution rates of minorities versus white citizens. Pendleton has filed a grievance with the State Bar of Texas.
“We hope justice is brought and to uncover the lifetime of terror that we’ve suffered in Waller County,” Pendleton said while standing with his attorney and representatives from several groups supporting him.
In a copy of the text messages released to the media, Pendleton asks Mathis to call him, but things quickly became heated.
Mathis replies, “Don’t ever call me again. You went over the line.”
Mathis was reportedly upset after finding out that Pendleton protested against him for two days. In his text message response, Pendleton accuses Mathis of “selective prosecution” and tells him to “Call your hounds off.”
Mathis texts back, “You are too stupid to know what that means.”
After listing the names of white officials that his office has successfully prosecuted, Mathis texts, “My hounds ain’t even started yet dumb (expletive) Keep talking and I will sue your (expletive) for slander.”
Mathis confirmed to KPRC Local 2 that he did send the text messages to Pendleton.
See earlier diary by Marie3 – The Guardian Performing a Public Service.
