On This Day in 2015: Sandra Bland’s Death Sparked National Calls for Justice

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In this July 10, 2015, frame from dashcam video provided by the Texas Department of Public Safety, Trooper Brian Encinia arrests Sandra Bland following a traffic stop in Waller County, Texas. Bland died three days later in the county jail, and her death became a national symbol in the movement for police accountability and criminal justice reform. (Texas Department of Public Safety via AP, File)
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(AURN News) — On July 13, 2015, Sandra Bland died in a Waller County, Texas, jail cell, three days after a traffic stop escalated into her arrest.

Bland, a 28-year-old Black woman, had been pulled over for failing to signal a lane change. Video of the confrontation showed Texas Department of Public Safety Trooper Brian Encinia threatening her with a Taser and removing her from the car.

This July 22, 2015, file photo shows the Waller County jail cell in Hempstead, Texas, where Sandra Bland was found dead three days after her arrest during a traffic stop. Her death was ruled a suicide, but the case sparked national protests and renewed calls for police accountability and reforms to jail policies and inmate screening procedures. (AP Photo/Pat Sullivan, File)

On July 13, 2015, she was found hanging in her jail cell with a plastic trash bag around her neck. Officials ruled her death a suicide, but her family and supporters questioned the circumstances surrounding her death and the jail’s treatment of her.

Her death became a symbol of police violence and the dangers Black women face in custody. In 2016, Bland’s family reached a $1.9 million wrongful-death settlement with Waller County. The agreement required changes to jail monitoring, medical staffing and inmate screening procedures.

Click play to listen to the AURN News report from Clay Cane. Follow @claycane & @aurnonline for more.

Clay Cane is an award-winning journalist, writer, radio host, and political commentator. A graduate of Rutgers University with a degree in African-American Studies, his work on race, culture, and politics have appeared in national publications, including the Washington Post, CNN, and The Grio. Clay is a regular political commentator on MSNBC. Twitter: @claycane

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