Sandra Bland was an American citizen who was found hanged in a jail cell in Waller County, Texas on 13 July 2015. She was arrested during a traffic stop three days prior to her death. Her death was ruled a suicide. Her arrest and death resulted in protests. The police officer who arrested her, Brian Encinia was fired by the Texas Department of Public Safety. Bland's family filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the county jail and police department, which was settled for $1.9 million. Encinia agreed to permanently end his law enforcement career and the perjury charge against him was dropped in 2017. 

Wrongful death of African-American George Floyd Sparks the Sandra Bland Case to be Reopened

In the past few days, the wrongful death of George Floyd, an African-American, has resulted in protests and riots across the United States. A white police officer uses excessive forces to arrest Floyd that resulted in Floyd's death. After the video taken by a bystander went viral on social media, people rallied in the major cities across the United States, asking for justice for George Floyd. The peaceful protests soon turned into violent riots in no time. Protestors started attacking police precincts and damaging or looting shops across the cities. 

On the other hand, George Floyd's death has sparked Sandra Bland's case to be reopened. Sandra Bland was pulled over and arrested for a minor traffic violation in July 2015. She was later found dead in a jail cell three days after her arrest. Following her death, thousands protested for her wrongful death and racial violence against the black community. 

What was Sandra Bland Famous For?

- She was found hanged in a jail cell after being arrested during a traffic stop three days prior. 

Where was Sandra Bland Born?

Sandra Bland was born on 7 February 1987. Her birth place was in Naperville, Illinois in the United States. She held American nationality. She has 4 sisters. 

She attended Willowbrook High School in Villa Park, Illinois. After graduating from high school, she enrolled at the Prairie View A&M University. She was a member of the Sigma Gamma Rho sorority at the university. She graduated from Prairie View with a degree in agriculture in 2009.

She was recruited as a summer counselor for three years, played in the marching band, and volunteered for a senior citizens advocacy group at Prairie View. 

Career

After graduating from Prairie View, she returned to Illinois. 

She started working in administration for a food-service equipment supplier, Cook's. 

She started posting videos about many subjects in January 2015 including police mistreatment of black people. She has been described as a civil rights activist in Chicago and a part of the Black Lives Matter movement as well. 

Previously, she had at least ten previous encounters with police in Illinois and Texas. She owned $7,579 in fines. 

She was due to start a temporary job as a summer program associate starting on 3 August 2015. However, she died on 13 July 2015. 

Traffic Stop

State Trooper Biran Encinia pulled over Bland on 10 July 2015 on University Drive in Prairie View, Texas. She was stopped for failing to signal a lane change. The conversation between the two escalated. In a video recorded by Encinia's dashcam showed Encinia removed Bland from her car. They moved out of the frame. Encinia forcefully placed Bland on the ground and arrested her. The charge was also recorded by Encinia's dashcam and a bystander's cell phone. She was kept at the Waller County Jail. Bland was charged with assaulting a police officer.

The authorities reviewed the dashcam footage. Encinia was placed on administrative leave for failing to follow proper traffic stop procedures. 

Death of Sandra Bland

Police found Bland "in a semi-standing position" hanging in her cell at 9:00 a.m. on 13 July 2015. The next day, police issued a statement that Bland had been found dead in her cell and that they believed she had hanged herself. The Harris County Of Forensic Science conducted an autopsy. The autopsy ruled her death as a suicide. 

Her funeral was held on 22 July at DuPage African Methodist Episcopal Church in Lisle, Illinois. 

Public Protest

Bland's family and friends called for an independent autopsy. 

Two days after Bland's death was announced, 31,000 people tweeted using the hashtag #SandraBland petitioning for Bland's death investigation. 200,000 people tweeted her name 6 days after her death. 

About 150 protesters gathered outside the Hempstead jail on 17 July 2015. They chanted "No Justice, No Peace" and "We Demand Answers". 

Several protests against Bland's suspicious death was held. The protesters protested Bland's arrest, suspicious death claiming racial violence against her. 

Investigations

Texas authorities and the FBI conducted an investigation into Bland's death. They determined the Waller County jail did not follow the required policies. 

A grand jury declined to indict the county sheriff and jail staff for a felony relating to Bland's death in December 2015. 

Encinia was indicted for perjury for making false statements about the circumstances surrounding Bland's arrest in January 2016. The Texas Department of Public Safety fired him in 2016. 

Bland's mother settled a wrongful death lawsuit against the county jail and police department for $1.9 million and some procedural changes in September 2016. 

The perjury charge against Encinia was dropped in June 2017 in return for his agreement to permanently end his law enforcement career. 

Texas Senate Bill 1849 known as Sandra Bland Act went into effect on 1 September 2017. 

A documentary film Say Her Name: The Life and Death of Sandra Bland about Sandra Bland was released by HBO in 2018. 

Where are Sandra Body Measurements?

The Body Measurements i.e Height and Weight are Unknown.