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Sandra Bland: Video shows arrest of young black woman found dead in police cell three days later | Sandra Bland: Video shows arrest of young black woman found dead in police cell three days later |
(35 minutes later) | |
Friends and relatives of a young woman who died in police custody after being detained during a traffic stop, have demanded an investigation into the circumstances of her death. | Friends and relatives of a young woman who died in police custody after being detained during a traffic stop, have demanded an investigation into the circumstances of her death. |
Video has emerged showing the arrest of 28-year-old Sandra Bland, who was found dead in a cell in Waller County, Texas, on Monday morning. Authorities say it appeared she had taken her own life. | Video has emerged showing the arrest of 28-year-old Sandra Bland, who was found dead in a cell in Waller County, Texas, on Monday morning. Authorities say it appeared she had taken her own life. |
But the young women’s friends and relatives say they do not believe the official version and they have seized on a video that shows the arrest of Ms Bland. A petition has been started to have an inquiry into the woman's death by the US Department Justice. | |
Her friend Cheryl Nanton told The Independent that she feared foul play was involved. | |
"I don't think she killed herself," she said. "It is very sad...We look out for our young men because there are so many incidents, but we don't expect this to happen to our daughters. People want to know what happened." | |
Ms Bland filled her Facebook page with videos in which she made observations about the issue of race in America under the title "Sandy Speaks". | |
"Being a black person in America is very, very hard," she wrote in a recent post. "Show me in American history where all lives matter." | "Being a black person in America is very, very hard," she wrote in a recent post. "Show me in American history where all lives matter." |
Video footage taken by a bystander at the scene of Ms Bland's arrest shows police officers on top her. She questions why they are being so rough. The video was shot last Friday morning, three days before she died in police custody. | |
Ms Bland was pulled over Friday for allegedly improper signalling a lane change, according to Waller County Sheriff’s Department officials. They say she was charged with assaulting public servant and taken into custody. | |
But her friend Malcom Jackson told ABC News: “After he pulled her out of the car, forced her and tossed her to the ground, knee to the neck, and arrested her.” | But her friend Malcom Jackson told ABC News: “After he pulled her out of the car, forced her and tossed her to the ground, knee to the neck, and arrested her.” |
Ms Bland’s friends say she had been with her family in Chicago over the July 4th holiday, and drove to Texas for a job interview at her alma mater, Texas Prairie View A & M. Family members say she got the position and was to begin working in student outreach. | Ms Bland’s friends say she had been with her family in Chicago over the July 4th holiday, and drove to Texas for a job interview at her alma mater, Texas Prairie View A & M. Family members say she got the position and was to begin working in student outreach. |
The family of Sandra Bland has demanded a probe into her death | The family of Sandra Bland has demanded a probe into her death |
In the video he shot, Ms Bland is heard saying: “You just slammed my head into the ground. Do you not even care about that? I can't even hear!” | In the video he shot, Ms Bland is heard saying: “You just slammed my head into the ground. Do you not even care about that? I can't even hear!” |
She adds: “You slammed me into the ground and everything." | She adds: “You slammed me into the ground and everything." |
Waller County Sheriff Glenn Smith said Ms Bland “had been combative on the side of the road”. | |
Officials said in a statement that jailers saw Ms Bland at 7am on Monday when they gave her breakfast and again at 8 am when they spoke with her over the jail intercom. She was found dead an hour later. | |
In a press release from the sheriff's department, authorities say they applied CPR, but that Ms Bland was pronounced dead shortly after she was found. | In a press release from the sheriff's department, authorities say they applied CPR, but that Ms Bland was pronounced dead shortly after she was found. |
“I do not have any information that would make me think it was anything other than just a suicide,” said Waller County District Attorney Elton Mathis. | “I do not have any information that would make me think it was anything other than just a suicide,” said Waller County District Attorney Elton Mathis. |