Bland was 28 years old. Orta was released in May 2020 and is under court supervision until January 2022. Those who believe that addressing police violence should be part of the ongoing conversation about criminal justice reform will likely be looking to the individuals hoping to replace Trump to provide solutions to a problem that continues to plague communities nationwide. You are also agreeing to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. Here's why that's hard to believe. Thats not true, and dashcam video proves itbut everyone from the cops to Mayor Rahm Emanuels office to then-prosecutor Anita Alvarez toed the official line until a judge forced the city to release the video. Hours after the indictment, the Texas Department of Public Safety announced that Encinia would be fired from his post, reports the New York Times. Brian Encinia given written counseling while a probationary trooper Texas officials say Encinia violated internal policies during traffic stop The boots of Texas Department of Public Safety. Dash cam video shows Encinia, who later claimed that he was attempting to safely conduct a traffic investigation, threatening to use his taser, saying that he was going to light up Bland. Now." After Bland asks why Encinia would "threaten to drag me out of my own car," he pulls out his Taser. A Texas grand jury has opted to indict Brian Encinia, the Texas state trooper who arrested Sandra Bland three days before her July death, and charge . pic.twitter.com/dmhlQAiELZ. But for black women like me, her presence is everywhere. They charged him with perjury. Bland had driven through a stop sign as she left the Prairie View A&M campus, but the trooper admitted he was unsure if it was on private or public property. It continues to happen. He completed his education at Texas A&M University. But Encinia said he didnt know what he was arresting Bland for but would come up with something, Kelley says. As for the former Texas state trooper who arrested Bland, the I-Team was unable to find current contact information for Brian Encinia. Id like to see candidates continue to take the right stances, even if they are difficult, she said. The Texas Department of Public Safety laterfired Encinia for escalating the situation during the traffic stop. He has not mentioned Bland since this new video was released. Over a year after Sandra Bland died in police custody, an officer involved in the case is giving the world a glimpse into how the blue wall of silence works inside the law enforcement industry. Conflicting accountsfrom law enforcement officialsalso created a vacuum for alternativeexplanationsto blossom. Bland was pulled over on June 10, 2015, during a road trip to Texas from Illinois, where she lived. Brian Encinia Audio Interview after Bland Death (81 minutes), Brian Encinia Interview after Indictment (24 minutes). Black males accounted for 22 percent of all people shot and killed in 2017, yet they are 6 percent of the total population. That's not justice for me," Reed-Veal said. balked at Encinia's perjury misdemeanor charge. DeSantis said board members want to see Disney be "what Walt envisioned." Speakers invited by the governor's office to speak at Monday's news conference railed against Disney's . The Texas state trooper who arrested Sandra Bland, the motorist who days later was found hanged in a jail cell, was formally fired on Wednesday, according to the Texas Department of Public Safety. As part of the agreement, changes were made to procedures at the Texas jail and sensors were installed to ensure checks on detainees are accurately recorded. On July 10, 2015,Blandwas booked into the Waller Countyjail after being charged with assaulting Encinia,who had stopped Bland for failing to signal a turn while driving. Diepraams boss, Waller County District Attorney Elton Mathis, denies Kelleys claims. There have been 179 this year, according to Mappingpoliceviolence.org. More: George Floyd. When asked what crime he believed Bland was committing, or about to commit, Encinia responded: I had a feeling that anything couldve been either retrieved or hidden within her area of control. Former state Trooper Brian Encinia, who pulled Bland over on July 10, 2015, in Prairie View, Texas, for failing to use a turn signal, no longer faces a perjury charge for making a false statement . If her video helps someone get there, all the better. All we know is that he is not active on any social media platforms. Part of HuffPost Black Voices. Brian Encinia, the Texas trooper who arrested Sandra Bland, had been warned about "unprofessional conduct" in 2014, according to documents obtained by the . The Facebook post includestwo mugshots, one of which shows Bland's eyes appearing to roll back in her head. It has been called Dr. Seuss Day because of this. The reporter who had exposed the videos existence was later barred from a press conference with city leaders about the killing. The second interview was done on Feb. 22, 2016, after he was indicted by a Waller County grand jury on a perjury charge. The now-fired trooper, Brian Encinia, was indicted on a charge of perjury in January 2016 for allegedly lying in the report he filed after Bland's arrest. At the time, the police officer who arrested Bland said he feared for his life. Still,some people felt the details of the case weretoo strange to be true. Quick Facts: Where Is Brian Encinia Now? the I-Team was unable to find current contact information for Brian Encinia. By entering your email and clicking Sign Up, you're agreeing to let us send you customized marketing messages about us and our advertising partners. Our fact check work is supported in part by a grant from Facebook. Now, Bland's family is alleging that the Texas Department of Public Safety . This week, a Dallas news station obtained a cellphone clip recorded by Sandra Bland. The trooper, Brian Encinia, would later be fired and charged with perjury, though the charge wouldn't stick. Minnesota Derek Chauvin/Place of birth. Activist Brittany Packnett, a member of President Barack Obamas Task Force on 21st Century Policing, told The Fix that these conversations must be revisited despite how challenging they can be. For many Black Americans, these deaths and others have caused lasting trauma, Road trip for suburban woman ends in jailhouse death, BuzzFeed Helped Spread Far-Fetched Conspiracy Theories About Sandra Blands Death, Sandra Bland: Anonymous release video claiming to 'expose Texas police for releasing dead mugshot', Sandra Bland Death: Texas to Look Into Alleged Edits of Dashcam Video, #JusticeForSandy: Sandy Bland Death in Texas Jail Sparks Questions, Sandra Bland death triggers #IfIDieInPoliceCustody trend, Sandra Bland's family settles wrongful death case for $1.9M, Trooper Who Arrested Sandra Band Formally Fired, Newly released Sandra Bland video shows her alive at Texas jail before death, Social media speculates whether Bland is dead in mugshot. This is a short clip of police video that shows Sandra Bland's arrest in Texas on July 10, three days before she died in a county jail. The claim that Bland was dead in her mugshot has proved popular on social media. Naperville, IL . 2023 ESSENCE Communications Inc. All Rights Reserved. Joe Crystal was a rising star in the Baltimore Police Department until he blew the whistle on fellow cops who had covered up a brutal beating of a handcuffed suspect, and was hounded out of the department. Derek Chauvin/Wife. Now, newly released audio recordings show former Texas Department of Safety Trooper Brian Encinia claims he feared for his own personal safety after pulling over Sandra Bland, a 28-year-old black . Joseph Wulfsohn / Fox News: Brian Stelter defends 2020 media coverage of Hunter Biden laptop story: We never labeled it 'disinformation' . VOTE: Whats the best KXAN viewer photo of February? has spoken our forcefully on this issue since she launched her campaign, she has been criticized for past positions related to addressing police brutality. ESSENCE.com is part of ESSENCE Communications, Inc. The Post reported: "While the number of black males armed and unarmed who have been killed has fallen, black males continue to be shot at disproportionately high rates, the data shows. Protesters have made use of Garners last words, I cant breathe, as a slogan and chant against police brutality since Garners death and Pantaleos grand jury decision. The deciding factor, which might also eventually determine the pending wrongful death lawsuit that Bland's family has brought against Encinia and the department, is whether there was actually a credible threat of danger. As of recent reports, he is . Find Brian Encinia current Net worth as well as Salary, Bio, Age, Height and Quick Facts! Enough is enough," said Needham. I knew something was wrong, but I didnt know what was wrong. 2005-2022 Community Impact Newspaper Co. All rights reserved. On July 10th, 2015, Sandra Bland was pulled over on the outskirts of Houston for failing to signal a lane change. He might be in the clear currently, but where is Brian Encinia now? Thank you for supporting our journalism. Press ESC to cancel. Aside from the violated regulations, there is considerable division in the Texas legal community about the legality of Encinia's actions. I do believe however that Trooper Encinias adrenaline level was very high at that time and that he was very emotional after just getting attacked by the violator. Her friends and family vigorously denied she would have taken her life, saying suicide was "unfathomable.". The lengthy dashcam video of Encinia and Blands encounter, followed by the comparative dearth of clear information on what happened to her in the three days between her arrest and when she was found dead in a county jail cell, made the incident a national headline. By subscribing to this BDG newsletter, you agree to our. Five years after Bland's death, accountability in her case is something Sandra's sister says the family still awaits. That was the only criminal charge he faced. After Bland asks why Encinia would threaten to drag me out of my own car, he pulls out his Taser. ButHershorn saidbased on the low-resolutionFacebook post it's impossible to tell forcertain whether the image was manipulated. As of recent reports, he is currently 34 years of age. Encinia's future seems up in the air, and as developments in the case proceed over the next few years, it's possible that he could still face criminal charges. The Bland family received a $1.9 million settlement in their wrongful-death suit. Most of the time, the blue wall of silence has to get torn down from the outside.