In Texas, new information has emerged about the arrest of Sandra Bland, the 28-year-old African-American woman found dead in a jail cell in what authorities claim was a suicide by hanging. Bland was stopped for not signaling a lane change. Dash cam video shows Texas State Trooper Brian Encinia forced her from her car, threatening to “light [her] up,” after she failed to put out her cigarette. Now, Waller County Sheriff Glenn Smith says Bland told jailers she had previously attempted suicide. But an attorney for Bland’s family said relatives have no evidence of a prior suicide attempt. A local ABC station meanwhile obtained a voicemail Bland left for a friend while in jail. Video of Bland’s arrest shows her accusing police of slamming her head into the ground and saying, “I can’t even hear.” Texas authorities have denied claims the 52-minute police dash cam video they released was edited, telling Mother Jones the apparent glitches in the video resulted from a YouTube upload error. Meanwhile, hundreds gathered in New York to honor Sandra Bland and highlight the case of Kindra Chapman, an 18-year-old African-American woman found dead in an Alabama jail cell one day after Sandra Bland was found dead. Protesters also honored India Clarke, the 10th transgender woman murdered so far this year. Tune in Friday when we will speak with Bland’s family and their attorney.
TRANSCRIPT:
This is a rush transcript. Copy may not be in its final form.
AMY GOODMAN: In Texas, new information has emerged about the arrest of Sandra Bland, the 28-year-old African-American woman found dead in a jail cell in what authorities claim was a suicide by hanging. Sandra Bland was stopped for not signaling a lane change. Dash cam video shows Texas State Trooper Brian Encinia forced her from her car, threatening to, quote, “light [her] up,” after she failed to put out her cigarette. Now, Waller County Sheriff Glenn Smith says Bland told jailers she had previously attempted suicide. But an attorney for Bland’s family said relatives have no evidence of a prior suicide attempt. A local ABC station, meanwhile, obtained a voicemail Bland left for a friend while she was in jail.
SANDRA BLAND: Hey, this is me. I’m, um – I just was able to see the judge. I don’t really know. They got me set at a $5,000 bond. I’m still just at a loss for words, honestly, about this whole process. How this switching lanes with no signal turned into all of this, I don’t even know. But I’m still here, so, I guess, call me back when you can.
AMY GOODMAN: Video of Bland’s arrest shows her accusing police of slamming her head into the ground and saying, “I can’t even hear.” Texas authorities have denied claims the 52-minute police dash cam video they released was edited, telling Mother Jones the apparent glitches in the video resulted from a YouTube upload error. Meanwhile, hundreds gathered in New York to honor Sandra Bland.
KALISA MOORE: We are demanding an end to white supremacy. We’re going to be on the streets. We’re going to continue fighting. We’re done with the terror. And we’re going to keep fighting. We’re going to – by any means necessary, we’ll be out here. Another person dies, we’ll be out here. We’re going to continue the fight until it’s done.
AMY GOODMAN: The New York protesters also raised questions about the death of Kindra Chapman, an 18-year-old African American found dead in her her jail cell in Alabama one day after Sandra Bland was found. Chapman was arrested July 14th on accusations of stealing a cellphone. Just like in Sandra Bland’s case, authorities have claimed she hanged herself, but her family doesn’t believe it. At the protest in New York, demonstrators also mourned a 25-year-old African-American transgender woman who was found beaten to death in Tampa, Florida, on Tuesday.
PROTESTER: I’m here today representing India Clarke. She was the 10th trans woman of color murdered in this country this year. Say her name.
CROWD: India Clarke!
PROTESTER: Say her name!
CROWD: India Clarke!
PROTESTER: Say her name!
CROWD: India Clarke!
AMY GOODMAN: India Clarke is at least the 10th transgender woman murdered in the United States this year, part of what experts are calling an “epidemic.”
And those are some of the headlines. This is Democracy Now!, democracynow.org, The War and Peace Report. I’m Amy Goodman.
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