Tag Archives: Sandra Bland

Introducing the George Floyd Act

Posted on August 16, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

Coming this spring to the Legislature. Black lawmakers at the Texas Legislature unveiled on Thursday the George Floyd Act, a sweeping police reform proposal that would ban chokeholds across the state and require law enforcement officers to intervene or render … Continue reading →

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More and better police data, please

Posted on July 2, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

Like this. The Texas Commission on Law Enforcement will ask nearly 2,000 Texas law enforcement agencies to resubmit information legislators intended be used to analyze whether police were treating minority motorists differently — but which turned out to be worthless … Continue reading →

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Let’s fix the Sandra Bland Act

Posted on June 14, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

Let’s make it what it was supposed to have been in the first place. After Sandra Bland’s death in a rural Texas jail drew outrage across the nation, two Texas lawmakers filed a comprehensive bill to address racial profiling during … Continue reading →

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The Sandra Bland cellphone video

Posted on May 13, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

Wow. New cellphone footage from the now infamous traffic stop of Sandra Bland shows her perspective when a Texas state trooper points a Taser and yells, “I will light you up!” Bland, 28, was found dead three days later in … Continue reading →

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We need more than just bail reform

Posted on April 17, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

Bail reform is based on the radical idea that locking up non-violent, low-risk people who have been arrested on minor charges is a very bad and very expensive thing to do. But let’s take a step back from that and … Continue reading →

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Signings and vetoes

Posted on June 16, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Greg Abbott does his thing. Gov. Greg Abbott has vetoed 50 bills that were passed during the regular legislative session, his office announced Thursday. That’s several more than he vetoed following the last session and the most a governor has … Continue reading →

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Sandra Bland Act passes

Posted on May 21, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Good. The Texas House initially approved the Sandra Bland Act on Friday with a unanimous vote. The body now has to vote on the mental health bill one more time before it reaches Gov. Greg Abbott’s desk. (Update, May 20: … Continue reading →

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Sandra Bland bill clears the Senate

Posted on May 13, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Good news. The Texas Senate on Thursday unanimously approved a bill aimed at protecting people with mental illnesses who are arrested and may harm themselves in jail. The legislation — Senate Bill 1849 — was filed after a high-profile incident … Continue reading →

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The Sandra Bland Act

Posted on March 5, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Good. State Rep. Garnet Coleman, D-Houston, on Thursday filed House Bill 2702, dubbed the Sandra Bland Act. The exhaustive piece of legislation would expand what qualifies as racial and ethnic profiling; mandate people experiencing a mental health crisis and substance … Continue reading →

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Races I’ll be watching today, non-Legislative edition

Posted on November 8, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

This is my companion to yesterday’s piece. 1. SBOE district 5 I’ve discussed the SBOE races before. This particular race, between incumbent Ken Mercer and repeat challenger Rebecca Bell-Metereau, is the one that has the closest spread based on past … Continue reading →

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More on the Sandra Bland settlement

Posted on September 22, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

State Rep. Garnet Coleman is working to implement the reforms mandated by the Sandra Bland lawsuit settlement. House Democrats sparred with state law enforcement officials over questions of racial profiling Tuesday at a sometimes contentious hearing. It was the latest … Continue reading →

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Family of Sandra Bland settles its lawsuit

Posted on September 17, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

I hope this brings them some peace, but more importantly I hope it leads to fewer inmate deaths, in Waller County and elsewhere. The family of Sandra Bland — who died last year in a Waller County Jail cell — … Continue reading →

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Sandra Bland, one year later

Posted on July 12, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

The timing of this is tragically appropriate. With confident, and sometimes vulnerable, lyrics, a group of poets and singers Sunday afternoon commemorated the life of [Sandra] Bland, who had been found dead in her Waller County Jail cell three days … Continue reading →

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Bland committee makes its recommendations for Waller County jail

Posted on April 14, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Good to see. Waller County needs a new jail, local officers need body cameras to record their activities and the sheriff’s office needs to promote civility, a study committee formed after the death of Sandra Bland said Tuesday. The county … Continue reading →

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Former Trooper Encinia pleads not guilty in Sandra Bland perjury case

Posted on March 24, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

As expected. A former Texas trooper pleaded not guilty to charges he lied about his actions last July while arresting Sandra Bland, whose death in Waller County’s jail three days later sparked a national outcry from civil rights activists. Dressed … Continue reading →

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Another way to achieve bail reform

Posted on January 22, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

From the Quorum Report: The unnecessary death of Sandra Bland in the Waller County Jail last summer has now put the reform of bail bonds in focus as a key criminal justice issue ahead of the next legislative session. Last … Continue reading →

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Trooper Encinia turns himself in

Posted on January 9, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

As expected. Six months after arresting Sandra Bland during a now-infamous traffic stop, state trooper Brian Encinia on Thursday returned to the Waller County jail where Bland died – this time to surrender to authorities on perjury charges. Encinia, 30, … Continue reading →

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Grand jury indicts trooper in Sandra Bland case

Posted on January 7, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Wow. Waller County grand jurors indicted Department of Public Safety trooper Brian Encinia on a single charge of perjury Wednesday because they did not believe he was telling the truth about his actions during the arrest of Sandra Bland, special … Continue reading →

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DPS seeks dismissal of Sandra Bland lawsuit

Posted on September 12, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

The expected response by the defendants. The Texas Department of Public Safety and Trooper Brian Encinia filed motions Tuesday to dismiss a wrongful death lawsuit in the death of Sandra Bland, five days after Waller County filed court papers rebutting … Continue reading →

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Will Sandra Bland’s death help lead to bail reform?

Posted on August 23, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

That would be a fitting and just outcome if it does. Harris County and the state should reform an unfair bond system that punishes the poor more harshly, according to civil rights leaders, legislative officials and criminal experts who gathered … Continue reading →

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Sandra Bland’s mother sues DPS and Waller County

Posted on August 7, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Can’t say this is a surprise. The mother of Sandra Bland filed a federal lawsuit Tuesday against the Texas Department of Public Safety trooper and several others she deems responsible for the death of her 28-year-old daughter at the Waller … Continue reading →

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Three panels investigating Sandra Bland’s death

Posted on July 29, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

One was appointed by the Sheriff: In the wake of the controversial arrest of Sandra Bland and her jailhouse suicide, Waller County Sheriff R. Glenn Smith has asked for an independent panel of civilians to evaluate all aspects of the … Continue reading →

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Sandra Bland’s death ruled a suicide

Posted on July 25, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

That’s only part of this tragic story. Waller County prosecutors said Thursday that a preliminary autopsy found that Sandra Bland committed suicide, but they pledged to continue investigating the circumstances surrounding her controversial arrest by a state trooper as well … Continue reading →

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Dashcam video from Sandra Bland arrest released

Posted on July 22, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

The Press has a good writeup. I’m just going to quote the two bits of transcript they provided: “What’s wrong?” the trooper asked as he delivered Bland her ticket. “You seem very irritated.” “I really am, because I feel like … Continue reading →

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Sandra Bland’s death being investigated as a homicide

Posted on July 21, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Doesn’t mean that’s how it will be ruled, but it’s at least a sign that it’s being taken with appropriate seriousness. The probe into Sandra Bland’s hanging death inside a Texas jail — which a medical examiner ruled a suicide … Continue reading →

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What happened to Sandra Bland?

Posted on July 17, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

This is horrible. There are big questions about the final hours of Sandra Bland’s life. The official story is that the 28-year old committed suicide by hanging herself in a Waller County jail cell. Her family doesn’t buy it. Bland, … Continue reading →

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