Grand Jury Declines to Indict Anyone in Death of Sandra Bland

[JI7]

i don't think anyone here is surprised about this. there were some mentions in another thread about enforcing laws instead of just new ones. and i think this is what this is all about. when it comes to certain people no amount of laws will change how they view certain cases/people. we have had videos of actual attacks and people still declining to hold people responsible.this doesn't mean we shouldn't work on legislation. but that it's about more than that .

just imagine all of these cases with races switched. i think you would get different results even with less evidence. imagine the bland video was of a black officer and white woman. i think we would be seeing different reactions and outcomes.


<CHICAGO — Grand jurors in Texas declined on Monday to indict anyone in connection to the July death of a Chicago-area woman, Sandra Bland, who was found hanged in her cell at the Waller County jail, one of the special prosecutors assigned to the case said.
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But Darrell Jordan, the special prosecutor, said that “the case is still open,” and that grand jurors would reconvene next month to discuss other aspects of it.

Many activists have called for charges against Brian Encinia, the Texas state trooper who arrested Ms. Bland after a routine traffic stop in Prairie View, northwest of Houston, turned contentious. Mr. Jordan said Monday’s decision not to indict anyone related only to Ms. Bland’s death and to the conduct of the jail staff.

“It’s all in the way you phrase it,” said Mr. Jordan, one of five special prosecutors in the case. “The case is not over. That’s what I’m stressing right now. The case is not over.”>

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/12/22/us/grand-jury-finds-no-felony-committed-by-jailers-in-death-of-sandra-bland.html?_r=0

[JackInGreen]

1. Nauseating

and about as expected, there's no fucking justice.

[Warpy]

2. There should be something to charge people who neglected her to death

which, if you buy the suicide argument, is exactly what they did.

[JustAnotherGen]

3. And they wonder why

The vile plutocrat oligarch corporate overlord stuff falls on deaf ears.

Take out a plutocrat?

Fight for you very life?

Easy peasey choice.

[betsuni]

5. You said it right there in a peashell!

[Kind of Blue]

9. ^^^This!^^^ n/t

[Cha]

4. Oh no.. more cops get away with murdering innocent Black People.

[Starry Messenger]

6. Appalling. :(

[brer cat]

7. We knew this was coming,

but it still stings.

[emulatorloo]

8. Not surprised, but it made me sick when I heard it on the news last night.

I will never believe Sandra Bland took her own life.

[Kind of Blue]

10. FB message from Sharon Cooper, Ms. Bland's sister.

"Sharon Cooper added 18 new photos — feeling determined with Shavon Bland and 4 others.

My Letter of Encouragement to YOU:

I wanted to take a moment to say THANK YOU for the unwavering support that you continue to show our family in the wake of Sandy's passing. The grand jury's refusal to indict anyone in connection with her death is not a surprise to us as a secret process where secret evidence is presented to secret grand jurors is not one we can trust or have confidence in. In the words of our co-counsel Larry Rogers, Jr., "Let our investigation proceed!" Please know that while this decision is disheartening, we will continue to press forward with our existing civil lawsuit.

As we move into the holiday season and you prepare to spend time with your loved ones, unplug from the world for a while to create new memories that will stay with you long after Christmas. For those of you who knew Sandy on a personal level, hold your most precious memories of the time you spent with her close to your heart. For those of you who came to know Sandy through her passing, commit to continuously advocating for her as well as others impacted by societal injustice. When you think back on this year, don't replay the dash camera footage repeatedly in your mind or that terrible mugshot photo (which you should never share again) as that in no way is an accurate depiction of who Sandy was to those who loved her dearly.

Ponder the following interesting facts from 2015 which prove that ‪#?SandySTILLSpeaks‬
*Sandra Bland was the third most Googled issue this year;
*Sandy's story was among the top five ranked news stories in TX;
*Sandy has been acknowledged on all major local and national news outlets and her situation has forced the world to be more inclusive in our conversations around police brutality as it's a sobering reminder that women of color are also targets (Clint Smith commentary credit);
*‪#?SandraBland‬ was among the top 10 trending hashtags on Twitter;
*As I write this message, Sandy's trending on Twitter (39.6K & climbing) and FB AGAIN!

More here https://www.facebook.com/sharon.cooper.6

[Number23]

12. Great post. I am happy to see that her family is still fighting, trying to get answers

Lord only knows if they'll ever actually get those answers or not.

[Kind of Blue]

15. And if not, the assholes will have to live

with the constant reminder of renaming that fateful street after her, let alone her unwanted martyrdom knowing she wasn't coming out of the situation alive. Family trial is in 2017 and I know we will not forget her and them.

[Number23]

19. I know. I love that they named that street she was taken from in her honor

Three days in jail for a PARKING VIOLATION.

*sigh*

Happy Holidays, KoB.

[Kind of Blue]

21. Happy Holidays, Dear Number23!

We must celebrate actually surviving another year, so Sandra's life and all of the others taken too soon would not have been in vain.

[randys1]

13. After she died my pastor Mark Thompson of Sirius radio did a show

where we called in and said "I am Sandra Bland" or to say her name.

We did the same for Michael and Eric and others.

He is replaying that show right now.

There is no justice if you are Black, period.

[Kind of Blue]

16. Thanks, randys1, because that it how it should be done.

So many names attached to actual people to remember, as with 9/11 remembrances. It makes a huge difference.

[Number23]

20. Randy, that is fabulous. A great way to keep their names and their memories alive

Happy Holidays to you and your family.

[lovemydog]

14. Beautiful post from Sandra Bland's sister.

I'm praying for her family this holiday season.

[Kind of Blue]

17. I'm adding the Bland family, too, lovemydog.

They seem to have a large, loving family and there's nothing like family - related or not related - that helps us get through just about anything.

[lovemydog]

18. So true, KoB.

There's nothing like family. Blood relatives and those we choose and from whom we derive comfort. As you say 'that helps us get through just about anything.' We're praying for the Bland family. We say resolutely that black lives matter. We stand with them in the spirit of justice and love.

Thank you for being part of my chosen family here at DU KoB. We've shared so much this year in this amazing group. We'll continue sharing our joys and sorrows. Wishing you and your loved ones a blessed holiday season!

[Kind of Blue]

22. Awww, Lovemydog!

Your spirit really shines through in your words. Now I need a tissue.
I'm sending back the same wish from my heart for you and all those you love and love you to continue receiving more blessings

Happy Holidays, Dear LoveMyDog!

[Number23]

11. We're all shocked. Really.

God bless that woman and her family.

i think you would get different results even with less evidence. imagine the bland video was of a black officer and white woman. i think we would be seeing different reactions and outcomes.


That's putting it mildly. I suspect if it had been a black male officer, he would have never made it to his own trial.