News / Human Rights

US grand jury issues no indictment in death of black woman

Tuesday, 22 December 2015 10:52 AM [ Last Update: Tuesday, 22 December 2015 11:02 AM ]

A woman holds a poster bearing the portrait of Sandra Bland, a 28-year-old black woman who killed herself in a Texas jail cell on July 13th, during a Michael Brown memorial rally on Union Square August 9, 2015 in New York. (AFP photo)

A US grand jury says it will not indict anyone in connection with the mysterious death of an African American in a Texas jail cell in July.

Sandra Bland was found hanged in a prison cell at the Waller County jail in Texas on July 13 three days after she was arrested for failing to signal while changing lanes.

A police dashboard video shows how a routine traffic stop by Texas State Trooper Brian Encinia escalated into a verbal and physical confrontation between him and the 28-year-old Bland.

Given the county’s long history of institutional racism, Bland’s death has raised concerns that the events leading to her death could have been racially provoked.

But now, five months after national protests over her death, the grand jury decided Monday not to indict anyone, including the jail staff in connection with her death, Darrell Jordan, a special prosecutors for the case, told The Washington Post.

The grand jury plans to reconvene in early January to “take up remaining issues,” Jordan said, but refused to comment on what those issues might be, as grand jury proceedings are confidential.

He also did not provide any details as to what evidence the jury had to make such a decision.

Bland’s mother, Geneva Reed-Veal, has criticized the jury, saying “right now the biggest problem I have is the entire process.”

Cannon Lambert, an attorney for her relatives, called the grand jury investigation “a sham of a proceeding,” saying, “It’s exactly the type of thing we had a concern about, the fact that they were going to do exactly what they did.”

Democratic presidential candidate Sen Bernie Sanders also lamented the decision in a tweeted decision.

“Sandra Bland should not have died while in police custody. There’s no doubt in my mind that she, like too many African-Americans who die in police custody, would be alive today if she were a white woman,” it read.

Her death was the latest in a series of deadly encounters between unarmed African-Americans and white police officers that have sparked protests in many cities.

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