Sandra Bland died in July 2015 while in the Waller County Jail after being pulled over by a trooper near Prairie View A&M University, which is about 50 miles northwest of Houston. After she failed to signal while changing lanes, state trooper Brian Encinia pulled her over.
Advertisement
Sarah Bland was found hanged in her cell by a plastic bag on July 13 while waiting to be bailed out of jail, where she was being held on charges of assaulting an officer during a traffic stop. Her death was ruled a suicide, although her family has always disputed that she would take her own life. Bland’s family filed a wrongful death lawsuit in January 2017. Waller County, where Bland was detained, will use automated electronic sensors to ensure accurate, timely cell checks which can not be falsified, according the agreement.
The family of Sandra Bland reached a $1.9 million settlement in her federal wrongful death suit. It seems that Geneva Reed-Veal, the mother of the 28-year-old, was the person responsible for demanding the changes that the jail is about to undergo.
The agreement would cost the county “a modest $1,000 deductible” under its liability insurance, he said.
Waller County will pay $1.8 million and the Texas Department of Public Safety will pay $100,000, attorney Tom Rhodes tells The Two-Way.
The county jail will also step up staff training and inmate monitoring, and have a nurse or emergency medical technician available for all shifts as part of the settlement, he said.
It’s hoped that the state will draft new legislation requiring other rural jails across the state to adopt similar reforms. He also said the county judge agreed to press for state legislation that would increase funding and training at jails across the state.
“The case is settled in its entirety”, Lambert said, but “this is the beginning, not the end”.
Jeff Rensberger, a professor at the Houston College of Law, said the settlement showed that both the county and its insurance carrier wanted to “get this behind them”.
CNN has reached out to Waller County for comment.
Simmons said the settlement was supposed to remain confidential until finalized. The Waller County defendants intend to honor this commitment.
Encinia has been indicted on a misdemeanor charge of lying in the arrest report he had written of the incident.
“Today is a victory for all mothers across the country”, she told the AP. Dash cam video showed Encinia dragging Bland from her auto and threatening to “light her up” if she didn’t obey his commands.
Advertisement
Encinia became aggressive with Bland after she declined to put out her cigarette.
