It was racial profiling. Sandra Bland made that lane change to let the cop who was tailing her pass.

[pnwmom]

And then he stopped her. In other words, he followed the black woman till he finally observed her making a mistake, and then he stopped her.

This is from the comments section of the ABC news (chicago) report of the 52 minute video that the police have released, showing the arrest of Sandra Bland.

This poster, Flechet, described the arrest as I saw it, too. The reason Sandra Bland made the lane change was because the cop was following her. So she pulled over to get out of his way -- and he stopped her for that!

The only change I've made is to break it down into paragraphs to make it easier to read. (It was one long paragraph). The video itself can be viewed at the link.

http://abc7chicago.com/news/sandra-bland-dashcam-arrest-video-expected-tuesday/868657/

Flechet

.....I find it interesting that the cop is going in the direction opposite Sandra Bland's car and TURNS AROUND after he sees the driver of the vehicle---hence, racial profiling---then follows her---hence racial profiling---and when she crosses over into the other lane (to get out of his way, as most drivers do), THEN, he tells her he was pulling her over because of a failure to signal. The offense he pulls her over for hadn't even happened, until AFTER she was profiled. And yes, he baits her. "What's wrong?" "Are you okay?" (another way of saying, I must covertly ask you if you are okay for two distinct reasons---because I am currently in the eye of a dashcam video, one upon which I must "appear" to be genuine in case this covertly racist tactic comes back to bite me in the a** and two, because I am hoping my incessant questioning irritates you enough to warrant my labeling this as "resisting" or "failing" to comply----and when she answers him, he pauses---maddened by the response---he then tells her to put out her cigarette. (As an African-American this was tough to watch; because, although it may appear that he had her best interests at heart, WE know what covert racism looks and sounds like).

Several times, Sandra Bland asserts her rights as a citizen (her right NOT to put out her cigarette; her right to ASK why she was being removed from the vehicle and her right to insist he CLARIFY that). Then, he points a taser at her, grabs her, takes her out of the view of the dashcam (because he can then justify his actions by saying she "kicked him" with her flip flops---OFF CAMERA). Sandra TELLS US in HER OWN WORDS what is happening off-camera, when she tells him he is hurting her; when she says he is hurting her wrists (at which point he is being rough with her, but verbally wants the audio to reflect that SHE was the aggressor, because his INTENTIONS were misplaced). She tells us exactly what is happening....then to hear him say, "I was trying to calm her down?" and the second female cop in agreement. The whole video was sickening to watch. I was literally watching a person, once alive, once aware of her rights as a HUMAN BEING being covertly discriminated against, strategically set up by a cop who was following "procedures" that were a part of the culture of Waller County. She---and the others who "committed suicide" in that same jail over the years have disappeared before our eyes, before their family's eyes, treated and surveilled as "ghosts" before they ever had a chance to bud in this place we deem a society.

[AnnieBW]

1. Why Don't They Come Out And Say It

She was "acting uppity", and a white man had to remind her of her place.

[randys1]

78. Nothing new, Michael Brown did the same thing I suspect, talked back

[Iliyah]

2. This whole matter seems unreal and Sandra Bland who was headed

to a new job at Prairie View A&M took her own life?

Will this be another "Grand Jury" investigation in favor of the police officer? Will he get an account on the internet and get lots of money?

I'm fed up.

[Kevin from WI]

5. He'll probably get a job on fox news.

Works out great for other racists.

[nc4bo]

3. I just can't.

It's too much. We're beyond getting to be too much. ....this poor woman was damned if you do, damned if you dont. A total no win situation right until they murdered her.

Haven't we all heard and seen enough?!

[DisgustipatedinCA]

4. Sandra Bland was pig-murdered in prison after being arrested for nothing.

But of course, this pig will likely never pay for his crime. It will be good to get the cop's name out there though. The Internet should do a good job of fucking his life up if the justice system won't.

[jalan48]

6. He baited her into responding negatively so that he could arrest her.

He was pissed that she didn't say yes sir, no sir I would imagine and it escalated from there. Trying to pull her out of her car was unreal-no cop should be doing this.

[nc4bo]

7. The fix was in early.

And continued til she was murdered.

What's this I heard she was placed in a cell by herself for her own protection....suicide watch no less.

Such bullshit.

[cstanleytech]

10. Oh I agree there, its why I dont blame her for being pissed because I probably would have

an attitude if a cop did that to me to.

[JDPriestly]

15. Motives? racism and fear of a civil rights lawsuit?

[DisgustipatedinCA]

20. It's all guesswork on my part

But I agree with the other poster who thinks the cop was a hothead who didn't feel he was being respected and decided to "teach her a lesson". I'm guessing we're dealing with a racist asshole with a hair-trigger temper. We may never know--I hope I'm wrong about that though.

[cstanleytech]

24. Racist or not hes still an asshole and hopefully a fired asshole. nt

[JDPriestly]

31. I had the same thought.

It took him a long time in the car to check her records. For a phony lane-change charge?

(While this "arrest" was going on, I saw a truck and at least one other car move from the left to the right lane. Maybe I missed something because the tape was unclear but I didn't notice any flashing turn signals. And there was nearly no traffic on the road plus as Sandra Bland explained, she simply moved over to let him pass her on the left. Ridiculous.)

I think they should check his cell phone records and see if he texted his wife during that time. It's really odd that I too wondered whether he was arguing with his wife and took it out on Sandra Blandon. She was angry. But who wouldn't be. He left her sitting in her car in the heat for nothing.

Look at the traffic on that street. Turn signals for changing lanes are important on busy Los Angeles streets. But there was no one to even notice a blinking turn signal on that road with its low volume of traffic. No one but the police officer who was harassing Sandra and just trying to catch her at something.

And the tape is such a mess. How could the police department think it could get by with such a bad tape recording.

Yes. The officer was made about something having nothing to do with Sandra Blandon before he stopped her. That is my guess.

[951-Riverside]

8. If you stop. You Die. If you run. You Die. If you fight. You Die.

WHAT THE HELL ARE PEOPLE SUPPOSED TO DO?

If you've got a gang of psychos wearing a tin badge looking for any excuse to kill you and get away with it, just what in the hell is a person to do?

[cstanleytech]

12. Well there are two things people can do actually.

Vote.
Get involved in your local government to help get people elected who will make the reforms that are needed.

Granted these are not quick fixes but then again this problem didnt happen overnight either as its largely the fault of long term voter apathy.

[JDPriestly]

17. Local electioins matter. Too many people only vote every four years.

We have to make sure that we educate ourselves about local issues and then vote and make sure our families and friends vote.

[cstanleytech]

23. Yup, I have said repeatedly that people are making a mistake by focusing only on the

presidential elections and other federal elections while largely ignoring the local elections but what they fail to realize is the local elections are actually the most important ones.
Its not the federal government that setups voting districts nor is it the federal that passes state voting bills.

[lostnfound]

33. Sadly, it is also the fault of racism in the voting population

Some voters are apathetic, yes, but others intentionally vote to elect the racist lowlife that perpetuate this.

[cstanleytech]

41. "Some voters are apathetic" In this case thats a huge understatement.

http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2015/05/06/u-s-voter-turnout-trails-most-developed-countries/

[Nevernose]

21. Be obsequious to white males

Especially the ones who are cops, or at least that's how the cops see it. Some internet asshats say she wasn't courteous; I say neither was the public servant who illegally dragged her out of her car, directly contributing to her death a few days later.

They don't want to take any lip from some uppity person of color (although I suspect most cops view the phrase "person of color" periphrastically). They want to hear, "Yassuh, Mistah Police-man, I knows I's done wrong. I sho is sorry 'bout dat. I be headin' in back to de plantation now, if'n dat's alls-rights wid you." Maybe whistle zipadee doo dah as they leave, thanking the officer for his mercy.

[whathehell]

29. Yes. They don't like assertive women of any race, but

II suspect that color played a big part here.

An 'uppity' Black female -- How dare she?

[randys1]

80. Sit still , dont move, dont speak. And if you do that they will kill you for being

uncooperative

It is open season on non whites in America.

And whites, for the most part, are doing NOTHING about it or to stop it, myself included.

[cstanleytech]

9. Following her on a public road is 100% legal though OP doesnt matter for how long.

But that aside the officer should be fired because he had no justification to order her out of the car for refusing to put her cigarette out nor did he have the right to order the person filming it to stop and leave, in fact he violated that persons right with that illegal order as scotus has been very clear that filming the police doing their business is not a crime and ordering someone to stop violates their rights.

[pnwmom]

14. Racial profiling isn't legal. I want to hear his explanation about why, after he passed her

going the opposite direction, he did a full U-turn and then followed her FOR NO APPARENT REASON till he caught her making a mistake -- changing lanes without a signal.

Why did he make that U-turn to follow her? Not for any reason he'd explain to her, or for anything he charged her with. So why did he pick on her, unless it was racial profiling?

[cstanleytech]

22. No its not legal but you have to prove it happened still and turning around and going

the same way isnt evidence that is what happened, no they would be better off to stick to what they can prove which is he had no legitimate reason to order her out of her car and the arrest was bogus and he mishandled the entire incident and compounded his mistake by trying to order a bystander nearby to stop filming and leave.

[whathehell]

26. It certainly seems suspicious as hell, though, especially

in hindsight.

This is a really horrible situation.

[cstanleytech]

39. I agree with you 100% there. nt

[randys1]

81. She is dead, like Michael Brown, cant prove much now. In Brown's case all the cop had

to prove to justify the EXECUTION of that kid was to say he was in fear for his life.



Unarmed, 25 feet away, but in fear for his life.



fucking racists

[JimDandy]

32. Out of state license plate, probably.

And black on top of that (a twofer)! I doubt he was ever going to give her a warning as others have suggested. It's a much bigger money maker to target them, as it's much less likely out of staters will fight a ticket.

[lostnfound]

34. I imagine it rattles the nerves to have a cop follow you for long

Especially if you are as aware of the common outcomes as Sandra Bland was.

[cstanleytech]

40. Hell it rattles *my nerves* when I get one behind me because

I sure as hell cannot afford a ticket.

[Glassunion]

87. Sadly, he does not need justification.

An officer asking someone (driver or passengers) out of their car during a traffic stop in no way violates that person's rights. There have been Supreme Court rulings exactly to that effect. An officer can ask (order) you to step out of the car for any reason, as it is not an unreasonable request as per Supreme Court rulings. They may do it for your safety, they may do it for their safety, they may do it because they are giant shit-heads and want to piss you off so they can hopefully get you to react in a manner that will allow them to arrest you.

This is a lawful order. Failing to follow a lawful order can lead to a disorderly or obstruction charge.

If the officer wished to push the issue, they could have ordered that person to stop filming. True this is an illegal order, however, if ordered to do so, and if they failed to stop, they could have been arrest for disorderly or obstruction.

[cstanleytech]

124. I still think he should be fired as it appeared to me that he deliberately antagonized her not that

she is completely innocent, she seemed headed to starting on a tirade a bit there but that still isnt grounds for arrest imo.

[kelliekat44]

11. Out of state tags, lone black female, in HBCU territory. Familiar profile.

She said she changed lanes to let him pass. Someone in that jail murdered that young lady. She had no reason to take her own life. And she was the second young black female alleged to have committed suicide in that jail.

We will not see the entire video from the time she was placed in that cell to the time she was discovered dead. My guess is that she was going to make life very miserable for that entire police force because she had been roughed up is not beaten once out of sight of the camera. The white female cops are as bad as if not worse than their male counterparts and anything could have happened to her. She was too feisty to have a mind set for suicide. She threatened to see the cop in court and no doubt she was roughed up once inside the jail. That's how these bastards act. I just hope the independent coroner is honest and competent.

[pnwmom]

13. Another possibility about her death

is that she had a brain injury connected with their slamming her head to the ground. She already had epilepsy, as she told them. (The officer's response: "Good.&quot

[Lurker Deluxe]

35. Another possibility is depression

I think this all stinks; but it is possible that this bullshit arrest caused her depression to escalate and she did, in fact, take her own life.

It is possible.

[freshwest]

52. No, I doubt it. She had faith. I wish I'd had a chance to know her. She's good people.

[msrizzo]

53. She used the terms anecdotally.

Do you have evidence she was treated for clinical depression? Her family says no. I say I'm depressed all the time. Ferguson and Freddy Gray and Eric Garner depressed the hell out of me.

[randys1]

82. No, not possible

Well, it is possible a UFO landed and an alien came into her cell and hung her, too.

[JDPriestly]

19. "She was too feisty to have a mind set for suicide."

[oasis]

30. The cops had time to discover Bland was with the BLM movement.

They took measures to protect their own. Bland had told the arresting cop she was going to take legal action. A subpoena of the traffic stop videos would bring the national media to their doorstep.
They chose to go the old reliable route and take their chances with a jail suicide.

[jalan48]

16. As I said in another post, we are living in a police state and black people are on the front lines.

[vanlassie]

18. That video made me ill. It was patently obvious that she was

baited, and her protests were perfectly understandable. I would have been scared to death to get out of my car for that asshole, and I'm a middle aged white woman, FFS. Absolutely disgusting.

[cstanleytech]

25. I think just about any sane person would have been angry and or scared. nt

[stranger81]

28. You said it -- it was obvious she was baited from the get-go.

Watching that video was harrowing. It must have been like being stuck in a bad dream playing out in real time.

[SalviaBlue]

71. "Are you done?"

He said something like, "why are you upset" and after she tells him, he says "are you done?"

That was the point where I knew he was a complete asshole who was baiting her.

[oasis]

27. That cop gotta go. No police union on Earth can defend his lying ass.:

[BillZBubb]

128. Don't you believe that.

We've even got defenders of him here on DU. They come out like roaches every time another black person is murdered.

[malaise]

36. Do you know that he should not have been driving a op car

because he was on suspension.

[Lee-Lee]

37. So much wrong with this assessment

When cops are working a traffic detail on a specific stretch of road it's pretty typical to turn around and go the other way after each stop- that way you stay in the area you wish to work.

He followed her for less than 30 seconds before she made the lane change- not long at all.

None of that is indicative of any form of profiling.

In fact, it appears as if he intends to only issue her a warning when he goes back up to the car. Profiling just to give warnings? Doesn't really add up.

Then the author makes several claims showing an ignorance of the law- no, she didn't have a "right" to smoke while being legally detained in a traffic stop. No, she does not have a "right" to demand he explain why he is telling her to exit the vehicle before she has to comply. It's people spreading bad legal advice like this that cause people who think it's true that cause others, acting in good faith thinking they are right, to make bad decisions that turn something minor into something worse.

This whole article is a combination of ignorance of the law posing as someone with knowledge, broad assumptions and conjecture with no basis in fact behind it. The author is determined for every aspect to be racism no matter what, so he twists logic as far as possible. We are better than that kind of distortion.

[whathehell]

44. He might had no right to insist she leave her car, let alone drag her out

drag her out of it on the basis of a traffic ticket.

This was confirmed by a Texas lawyer AND a judge last night. Maybe it's you who are ignorant of the law.

[Lee-Lee]

45. Incorrect

Not sure who or what you saw, but for the duration of a traffic stop an officer can instruct the driver to remain in the car or exit it at the officers discretion.

This is long settled case law in the U.S., several time SCOTUS has affirmed that- start your research with Pennsylvania Vs. Mimms and go from there.

Now, had she signed her warning or ticket and it was handed over then the stop would have been concluded and then she would have no longer been detained- at which point he would not have had lawful authority to order her to exit vehicle lacking another offense.

[Damansarajaya]

50. Police ask people to exit the car when they perceive a danger.

That was not in evidence here.

The Mimms case had to do with carrying firearms, not an arrest.

[Glassunion]

106. Text from the Mimms decision.

We hold only that once a motor vehicle has been lawfully detained for a traffic violation, the police officers may order the driver to get out of the vehicle without violating the Fourth Amendment's proscription of unreasonable searches and seizures.

- See more at:
http://caselaw.findlaw.com/us-supreme-court/434/106.html#sthash.Eg0u7CRH.dpuf

[Damansarajaya]

51. She was trying to sign it when Trooper Dick ordered her to extinguish her cigarette.

Where did you get that cops can tell you to put out a cigarette in your own car?

[Lee-Lee]

54. From being a cop, being trained, doing stops

He still had to explain the ticket and ensure she understood how to handle it before she signed.

Not smoking is the same kind of legitimate instruction during a stop as keep your hands visible, don't reach in your pocket, take the keys out of the ignition, etc.

[Damansarajaya]

67. So, as a trained cop, what he did was just fine

and you would have handled it the same way?

[Lee-Lee]

73. I would have

Probably done it somewhat differently- but as a female I often handled stuff differently.

I would have told her to stop smoking.

I would have explained earlier she was getting a warning and not a ticket when she we starting to get upset about getting a ticket to try and calm her down instead of saying "are you done".

When she insisted on not extingusihing her cigarette I would have probably called for backup at that point, then told her to exit the vehicle.

My course of action when she refused would depend on a number of factors- how far away backup was, how likely I thought she was to flee, etc.

The taser probably would have come out, but I wouldn't use the term "fry your ass" as that was unnecessarily confrontational a phrase.

[Damansarajaya]

75. Holy shit. You're part of the problem too. nt

[Lee-Lee]

79. So are tou

Criticizing with zero clue as to how the job works.

What, that I listed, do you disagree with?

[Damansarajaya]

86. This--

Cop asked, "how long have you been in Texas?"

Answer--none of your business

Cop asked, "where are you going?"

Answer--none of your business

Cop asked, "why are you irritated?" and then got irritated when he heard the answer.

Again, none of his FUCKING business.

Cop kept her sitting for some eight minutes, then demanded that she put out her cigarette after insulting her. This leads directly to her saying when she is pulled out of the car, you are going to slam me into the ground. And hell yes, 90 seconds later she is slammed into the ground.

You people just don't get it. Do your job and quit jerking people around. A snippy attitude doesn't mean you get to slam people's head into the concrete.

With the gun and the badge comes the responsibility to treat people better than what you think they might deserve.

And seeing something like this, you have the unmitigated gall to say, "yup, this is routine." That's exactly what people are so pissed off about. That this is routine.

[Lee-Lee]

89. Then learn the law

And realize that the instruction to extinguish the cigarette was a lawful one, as was the one to exit the vehicle, and don't argue and claim you don't have to follow the lawful instructions.

She could have put out the cigarette, signed her warning ticket, and been on her way.

She chose to escalate the encounter. I mean for god sakes this ws about to all end with a warning. A warning. Why would a supposedly racist cop supposedly profile her and go to all that effort for a warning?

Her actions refusing lawful instructions led to the escalation of events, she turned a warning into an arrest.

If you are not wise enough to see that, I can't help you develop common sense.

[Damansarajaya]

90. The "law" is exactly what is wrong. The "law" is what lets

cops smash a woman's face into the ground for not extinguishing a cigarette.

Of course, you never get tickets because you give cops your secret handshake as a former cop and get sent on your way.

That's apparently part of the law too . . .

[Lee-Lee]

92. The law is what the politicians and courts say it is

She escalated and turned a warning into an arrest.

[Kingofalldems]

93. Of course he didn't goad her one bit, did he?

Not fooled.

[Damansarajaya]

95. Right. I try not to loathe all cops because of this Texas cop,

but when former cops on DU of all places say that "she had it coming," it's hard not to loathe all cops.

I work in a profession that calls me to deal with some very unhappy campers at times, and I recognize that I am in the power position and I have to try to deal with snark and anger and issues in a professional manner.

Of course I don't enjoy it. But I do my job with as much consideration as I can muster and without recrimination to others even if I feel I'm being attacked or abused unfairly.

It's not too much to ask of someone who's carrying a fucking gun. This bullshit of "it's a hard job dealing with criminals." Yeah, well, don't pick it then.

[Damansarajaya]

94. Victim blaming. nt

[Kingofalldems]

122. So when someone tells you they have epilepsy

it's okay to say 'good' in a smartass manner?

[CreekDog]

129. "escalating"...not even the pretense that you're enforcing a law

unless the law prevents talking back.

does it?

sounds like that officer's law does.

[Kingofalldems]

96. Why was he goading her?

[Damansarajaya]

97. Oh he wasn't. She was "not following the law."

according to Lee-Lee, and that's all that matters apparently.

[JimDandy]

125. Learn the law and realize that if you are not observant enough

to hear that he asks her, not orders her, to put out her cigarette ("Would you mind putting out your cigarette?&quot , then we can't help you. Questions are not orders. Even if it had been worded as a command, the police consultants I've heard speaking about this video are suggesting that, for it to have been a lawful command in that circumstance, the sequence would have had to be the officer ordering her out of the car and then, immediately following that, ordering her to put out the cigarette (his safety would have then been the reason.) Ordering her out of the car must come first in order for her cigarette to become a safety issue to the officer. These are your own police compatriots (if you really are/were in LE) stating this.

The police officer got pissed by her refusal of his request and chose to escalate the encounter, when she rightfully stated she was in her own car and did not wish to acquiesce to his request that she extinguish her cigarette.

He could have issued the warning ticket, asked her to sign and been on his way. His reaction to her answers to his two questions directly led to the escalation of events. He turned what could have been just a warning into an arrest.

[Kingofalldems]

130. Good catch.

[randys1]

126. Bullshit BULLSHIT, your post angers me, makes me sick. BULLSHIT

SHE escalated it?

BULLSHIT

BULLSHIT

[kwassa]

131. Why should she put out her cigarette? Why was this even an instruction?

This makes no sense.

[Kingofalldems]

68. So again, why is he now on desk duty?

[Damansarajaya]

91. She seems to be studiously avoiding that question, doesn't she. nt

[whathehell]

99. "Not sure who or what you saw"

Houston defense attorney, Carmen Roe and Ladoris Cordell, retired judge and police auditor, both appearing on MSNBC's The Last Word with Lawrence O'Donnell

Argue with them.

[Damansarajaya]

48. Thanks for you "expert" opinion. Links?

According to this legal expert, there is no law being broken that would cause the officer to demand she get out of the car. Scroll ahead to 1:30.

?t=95

[Glassunion]

101. I'm no expert, however here is my advice.

Not to butt into the conversation here, however there is some bad information flying around this thread, that I'm afraid may give the wrong ideas over rights to folks.

At a traffic stop, or being stopped on the street, or anywhere for that matter, an officer ordering you (or your passengers) out of a vehicle requires no legal justification. The officer can ask (order) you to step out of the vehicle because they are concerned for your safety, concerned for their safety, or because they are controlling shit-heads who are looking to escalate the situation so they can drum up some probable cause to arrest you. The reason will not be questioned in court.

In PA vs. Mimms, the US Supreme Court ruled that it was not a violation of constitutional protections that an officer may order someone who he has stopped for a traffic violation to get out of the car. Thus, you do not have a choice in the matter since it is a lawful order. If you disobey that order, the officer has probable cause for an arrest that can turn into a disorderly or obstruction type of charges being leveled against you.

So. If you are stopped, and the officer asks or orders you to step out of the vehicle, you must get out of the car. You do not have a right to know why.

[Damansarajaya]

108. Mimms was also carrying a firearm.

I personally would never question anything a cop tells me to do, because they have all the power, and I have none, as designed by law.

That's the world we live in today, our founders would be pissed as hell if they came back to see it, but there it is.

[Glassunion]

109. See post #106. The firearm is irrelavent.

[Baitball Blogger]

38. The Feds better put a stop to this.

Otherwise, racist police have a handbook example of what they can do if they can't get their targets to run from them.

[StarlightGold]

42. She told the cop she had epilepsy

and the cop said "Good".

What the fuck has our society become?

[Facility Inspector]

43. The initial failure to signal

occurred when she right turned onto the highway after he was done with his first traffic stop, that's why he turned around to pull her over.

[pnwmom]

56. He didn't say that. And if that were true, he should have stopped her much sooner than he did. n/t

[Facility Inspector]

57. it's in the video

she doesn't signal to turn right.

granted, I think the out of state plates probably piqued his interest more, but failure to signal gave him PC to conduct a traffic stop.

And he did stop her very quickly, as soon as he caught up to her.

[pnwmom]

58. I think the color of her skin piqued his interest the most. n/t

[Facility Inspector]

59. could be

He was racist enough to write her a warning for the infraction instead of a revenue-generating ticket.

[pnwmom]

61. That's what he said. Have you seen the paper written that way? n/t

[Facility Inspector]

62. I wasn't on US Hwy 290 in Waller County that day.

he felt confident enough about his written warning to try and show it to her.

Seems kinda silly to show someone an imaginary/fake/pretend written warning.

On edit, I fully comprehend he was being a dick and he convicted her of being in "contempt of cop."

[pnwmom]

64. He flashed a paper at her knowing she couldn't see what it said. He also said

"good" after he'd thrown her down and she said she had epilepsy.

He's a creep.

[Facility Inspector]

65. agreed

FOIA would get you a copy of that Uniform Citation if you were so inclined.

[Damansarajaya]

46. Excellent analysis. A few other points:

1. He asked her "how long have you been in Texas?" and "where are you going?"

WTF? Is this a traffic stop or an interrogation? Does he have a warrant to ask where she's going? American citizens don't have to file travel plans with the police to drive on the streets.

2. After he asked if she were irritated and she told him, he said "are you through?" a demeaning and insulting question. If he didn't want to hear what she had to say, why did he ask her what is wrong?

3. Why did he insist that she get out of the car? Because he couldn't physically beat her when she was in the car. You heard her call it--"you're going to slam me to the ground." And of course quite soon after he DOES slam her to the ground, after the cuffs are on and she can't protect herself against a fall. This is routine police brutality tactics, and Sandra Bland knew exactly what was coming.

4. He pulls her in one direction and tells her to stand in another direction. This is to establish that she is not "compliant" and "resisting."

5. The trooper wrongly tells the victim that she cannot video the arrest.

6. He wrongly tells another officer that the injury to her wrist was self-inflicted when you can hear Sandra screaming that he's wrenching her wrist.

7. Trooper Dick tells the spectator videoing the scene that he "has to move." He doesn't have to move, and what he is doing is perfectly legal.

[Damansarajaya]

47. In most states in the Union, one does NOT have to signal to change lanes.

Unfortunately, Texas, home of the libertarians, requires it.

http://bighornlaw.com/do-i-have-to-signal-to-change-lanes/

[kcr]

49. But she didn't use her turn signal, so! He's in the clear!

Because you have to use your turn signal. That's the law. She broke the law. That's what matters, here. People who break the law get what they get

[COLGATE4]

55. "Several times, Sandra Bland asserts her rights as a citizen

(her right NOT to put out her cigarette,her right to ASK why she was being removed from the vehicle and her right to insist he CLARIFY that)"

Wrong on all three 'rights', as per the US Supreme Court.

...once a motor vehicle has been lawfully detained for a traffic violation, the police officers may order the driver to get out of the vehicle without violating the Fourth Amendment’s proscription of unreasonable searches and seizures.” 434 U.S., at 111, n. 6.

The Officer has the right to remove her from the vehicle and insist she extingish her cigarette, without giving her explanations or "clarifying" why he is doing it.

[Lee-Lee]

66. Thank you. I've been trying to explain this here

And it's like banging your head against a wall.

[Damansarajaya]

70. You've explained nothing.

You've asserted a lot of stuff without evidence.

[Damansarajaya]

72. And btw, this cops rally-around-a-cop is exactly why

average citizens are getting so pissed at cops.

We know that you've got all the law on your side, and it pisses the hell out of the rest of us who see just how FUCKING UNFAIR that is.

Why does the cop get to ask her where she's going? Do we file travel plans with the cops now to drive on the streets?

He also asks her how long she's been in Texas? This is relevant how? Does he want to date her?

Why doesn't he shut up and do his fucking job, whatever the hell that is, I'm not sure.

I used to give to Troopers' Associations and Patrolman's Retirement Funds and shit, and I don't anymore.

Guess why not? Because of this arrogant attitude that cops can do no wrong. Ever.

[Lee-Lee]

76. Asking questions is normal procedure

Where someone is going, coming from are routine. It's to see if they are slurring speech or disoriented and observe their responses.

How long she had been in the state is a relevant question because every state requires you change your license and registration over within a certain period after moving.

Your criticisms are all over prosecutes and laws you are very ignorant of, and it shows.

[Damansarajaya]

98. I'm all too aware that the cops know exactly how to

instigate a shituation where they can body slam you into the ground if they want to, and of course, it will be perfectly legal.

The laws are set up to protect police and if innocent victims get a few broken bones, so be it.

That's why you never see a policeman get handcuffed and his head slammed into the pavement.

[Comrade Grumpy]

111. It's also a fishing expedition to seek probable cause for some other offense.

You can comply with all lawful commands without saying a word.

[tammywammy]

83. On asking how long you've been in the state....

If you move there's a time limit to when you need to register your vehicle and get plates and a new drivers license.

[Damansarajaya]

100. And he was so concerned about that, that he said absolutely

nothing about it.

Since she said she was moving there, it might have been helpful to know.

[Kingofalldems]

74. So why is the cop on desk duty?

[Lee-Lee]

77. Don't know

Could be anything- could be just to finish this investigation because of the press. Could have been the use of the term "fry your ass" which would have been a minor infraction at my old department.

Time will tell, I hope.

[COLGATE4]

112. Some just don't want to let little technicalities

(like the law) get in the way of a self-righteous outrage at cops.

[Damansarajaya]

69. Link for cigarette? nt

[COLGATE4]

107. I'm not aware that an Officer ordering a person who

is detained to extinguish a cigarette has been litigated directly but, as the Supreme Court case cited (along with other) clearly shows, an Officer has wide latitude to order a detainee in order to preserve officer safety during the encounter. I doubt any court in the land would find that order to be constitutionally unreasonable.

[Damansarajaya]

117. He he might burn himself when he's slapping her around.

The cops gotta protect themselves from skinny black girls and their torches of death.

[COLGATE4]

118. The point is that there is no legal reason for him

not to have ordered her out of the vehicle and/or extinguish her cigarette.

[Damansarajaya]

120. Yes, I know the point.

The point is we live in a police state in which laws are written by the powerful to give their minions the right to run society to the advantage of the powerful.

The cops can do almost whatever they want legally, and what they can't do legally, they do illegally and lie about it, and get away with it.

See for instance the shooting of Michael Brown or Freddie Gray or Tamir Rice or a thousand others.

[COLGATE4]

121. Then why bother asking for a cite for the

proposition that cops can lawfully order a detainee to extinguish smoking materials if you believe that the law in the US is essentially meaningless, being as it is "written by the powerful to give their minions the right to run society to the advantage of the powerful" ? Seems like a waste of time and energy.

[artislife]

60. I just want to say

It doesn't matter to me that she was a college graduate or that she had a bright future. She could have been a HS drop out and no job to go to. Either way, she did not deserve to be killed at the hands of authority.

We need to care that all Black people can be targeted and those who do, don't care about the human being in front of them.

[Comrade Grumpy]

63. Probably racial profiling, maybe out-of-state plates profiling. But Sandra Bland made mistakes.

She's basically dead because of "disrespect of cop."

You don't fuck with the cops because you don't win. You go "Yes, sir" and get the hell out of that encounter as fast as possible. If you think you've been wronged, file a complaint or sue them. I know this grates, it's unjust, but it's true.

What would have been a ticket or a warning turned into a confrontation and an assault on Bland and a bullshit criminal charge that left her stuck in that jail. And now she's dead.

Know your rights: https://www.aclu.org/files/kyr/kyr_english.pdf

None of this is to excuse the cop. But you have to be smart around cops. Treat them like the dangerous beings they are.

Yeah, we've got rights. Sometimes the one that really counts is the right to remain silent.

[randys1]

84. sigh

[Travis_0004]

85. It looked like she rolled a stop sign without a turn signal before the cop even did a Uturn

That may have been the reason the cop did the Uturn after her.

[Damansarajaya]

104. She was turning right.

Very few people come to full and complete stop when they turn right at a stop sign since you only need to check one lane of traffic.

[Travis_0004]

105. I would assume the law in all states requires a complete stop

I know people can get tickets for rolling stop signs. I have one to prove it.

[Glassunion]

110. I got a warning on my motorcycle for rolling a stop...

Cop said my foot was not on the ground long enough.

Luckily I didn't get the DWB ticket.

[Travis_0004]

115. Foot on the ground seems like a dumb reason

On a bicycle, if the stop sign is slightly uphill, I don't put my foot down. I can sit at a traffic light for 30 seconds without putting a foot down, I just petal forward a few inches, then let gravity pull me back down.

I guess if you want to get picky, that isn't a complete stop either.

[Glassunion]

116. I stopped the motorcycle, but it's light and I can blance it fairly well.

So, once stopped I just tapped my foot on the ground to just give me that little bit of balance I needed, then started on my way. Guy was just looking for something else, but I was inspected, licensed, and registered, all with a clean record.

[Damansarajaya]

119. Yet, oddly, he didn't cite her for that. nt

[B2G]

123. My daughter's first ticket was for a rolling stop

in a residential area.

And no, it was not a warning.

[Blue_Tires]

88. kick

At least DU isn't trying to tell me anymore that racial profiling doesn't exist... So that alone is a small step of progress...

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

102. I watched coverage of this on Fox "News", and was shocked! ...

... even the right-wing blond Obama-haters were expressing disgust with the cop's actions during the arrest. I didn't hang around long enough to see if they had anything to say about the events at the jail.

If Fox News is against him, this arresting officer is truly screwed by his actions.

I wonder if the investigation will lead to prosecution of any cops.

[Uncle Joe]

103. If his lights weren't flashing she shouldn't have pulled over, that just gave him an excuse

to then cite her for illegally changing lanes by failing to signal.

Having said that, I believe he was using racial profiling, he did needlessly escalate the situation, he was extremely unprofessional, should never have removed her from the view of the dashcam.

If he was truly trying to calm her down, he shouldn't have screamed at her, should have answered here questions in a calm, courteous and professional manner.

I believe this was either conscious or subconscious racism but even if it wasn't and the officer would've used the same actions against a white man or woman, then he still shouldn't be allowed to carry a gun and badge because his temperament isn't suited for the job.

Thanks for the thread, pnwmom.

[pnwmom]

113. You're welcome, Uncle Joe. Thanks for participating.

[Uncle Joe]

114. Peace to you, pnwmom.

[randys1]

127. The cops voice betrays a white man like the one in "In The Heat Of The Night"