Anonymous
Post 07/24/2015 12:41     Subject: Woman moves from Illinois to Texas and ends up dead in jail cell
Anonymous wrote:\

The thing is, I don't even think he was particularly rude. He was actually quite courteous in the previous traffic stop and up until Sandra started becoming belligerent and mouthy. He was only giving warnings in both cases! No fine, no court date.

I still think it's odd that no one showed up to pay the $500, or even came to the jail to visit. If I was thrown in jail, regardless of the reason, a family member would have been there within hours. The family does not seem to be indigent, and the mother was able to fly down when Sandra died and transport her body back to Illinois, and is now able to pay for a second autopsy. They seem pretty polished and well-dressed. I find it hard to believe they couldn't muster up $500. Sounds fishy.


I think it's pretty rude for a police officer to drag somebody out of the car for being mouthy. Actually I think it's pretty illegal, too, but I am not a lawyer.

And if you think it's fishy that the Sandra Bland was not able to post $500 bail on a Saturday, even though her mother flew down after Sandra Bland DIED, then I really don't know what to say.
Anonymous
Post 07/24/2015 12:25     Subject: Woman moves from Illinois to Texas and ends up dead in jail cell
Has anyone posted the full video? If so pardon my doing so again but there are 22 pages here. lol

If you haven't watched the whole thing I suggest you do so...the traffic stop of Ms. Bland begins about 2:30

http://gawker.com/officer-in-sandra-bland-traffic-stop-video-i-will-lig-1719402390
Anonymous
Post 07/24/2015 12:22     Subject: Woman moves from Illinois to Texas and ends up dead in jail cell
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:

If I was pulled over and started acting agitated/nervous and refused a simple request to put out a cigarette (knowing that most non-smokers are bothered by smoke blowing in their face), I would not be surprised if the officer asked me to get out of the car. We can't see exactly what she was doing or how she was acting in the car, but I don't think it's unreasonable for the cop to request that she get out of the car if began suspecting that something else might be going on (hiding drugs, etc.). And when I refused and got extremely belligerent and combative, I would not expect him to just say, "okay, never mind, be on your way then."


What does it take to get everybody agree that a police officer acted wrongly in an interaction with a black person? This is a sincere question.

The police represent all of us and are acting in all of our names. I expect police officers to behave legally, ethically, and responsibly, not just when the person they're interacting with is respectful and deferential, but always. Always. Maybe you have other expectations.


When do we stop using color when color isn't a factor? I'm not black and I have encountered rude officers on occasion. I think part of the problem is we are shown incidents where the person is of color but we aren't shown the incidents when they aren't. That alone changes the perception.

Now...rather than people assuming it was a matter of color how about we defer judgement until it is proven otherwise?


The thing is, I don't even think he was particularly rude. He was actually quite courteous in the previous traffic stop and up until Sandra started becoming belligerent and mouthy. He was only giving warnings in both cases! No fine, no court date.

I still think it's odd that no one showed up to pay the $500, or even came to the jail to visit. If I was thrown in jail, regardless of the reason, a family member would have been there within hours. The family does not seem to be indigent, and the mother was able to fly down when Sandra died and transport her body back to Illinois, and is now able to pay for a second autopsy. They seem pretty polished and well-dressed. I find it hard to believe they couldn't muster up $500. Sounds fishy.
Anonymous
Post 07/24/2015 12:22     Subject: Woman moves from Illinois to Texas and ends up dead in jail cell
Anonymous wrote:

When do we stop using color when color isn't a factor? I'm not black and I have encountered rude officers on occasion. I think part of the problem is we are shown incidents where the person is of color but we aren't shown the incidents when they aren't. That alone changes the perception.

Now...rather than people assuming it was a matter of color how about we defer judgement until it is proven otherwise?


It is a fact that that the police are far more likely to stop black people than white people for investigatory stops -- minor violations (like failure to use a turn signal) that police use as a pretext to investigate the driver.

It is also a fact that the police are far more likely to arrest black people for "contempt of cop" than white people.

Does that mean that, in this particular case, the police officer stopped and arrested Sandra Bland because she was black? No. But it's a reasonable assumption. The alternative is to say, "It looks like a duck, and it walks like a duck, but let's defer judgment until it's proven that it's a duck."
Anonymous
Post 07/24/2015 12:10     Subject: Woman moves from Illinois to Texas and ends up dead in jail cell
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:

If I was pulled over and started acting agitated/nervous and refused a simple request to put out a cigarette (knowing that most non-smokers are bothered by smoke blowing in their face), I would not be surprised if the officer asked me to get out of the car. We can't see exactly what she was doing or how she was acting in the car, but I don't think it's unreasonable for the cop to request that she get out of the car if began suspecting that something else might be going on (hiding drugs, etc.). And when I refused and got extremely belligerent and combative, I would not expect him to just say, "okay, never mind, be on your way then."


What does it take to get everybody agree that a police officer acted wrongly in an interaction with a black person? This is a sincere question.

The police represent all of us and are acting in all of our names. I expect police officers to behave legally, ethically, and responsibly, not just when the person they're interacting with is respectful and deferential, but always. Always. Maybe you have other expectations.


When do we stop using color when color isn't a factor? I'm not black and I have encountered rude officers on occasion. I think part of the problem is we are shown incidents where the person is of color but we aren't shown the incidents when they aren't. That alone changes the perception.

Now...rather than people assuming it was a matter of color how about we defer judgement until it is proven otherwise?
Anonymous
Post 07/24/2015 12:07     Subject: Woman moves from Illinois to Texas and ends up dead in jail cell
Sad thing is, you people saying "she should have complied" are the same people saying that spanking is the worst thing you can do to a child.
Anonymous
Post 07/24/2015 11:57     Subject: Woman moves from Illinois to Texas and ends up dead in jail cell
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:

If I was pulled over and started acting agitated/nervous and refused a simple request to put out a cigarette (knowing that most non-smokers are bothered by smoke blowing in their face), I would not be surprised if the officer asked me to get out of the car. We can't see exactly what she was doing or how she was acting in the car, but I don't think it's unreasonable for the cop to request that she get out of the car if began suspecting that something else might be going on (hiding drugs, etc.). And when I refused and got extremely belligerent and combative, I would not expect him to just say, "okay, never mind, be on your way then."


What does it take to get everybody agree that a police officer acted wrongly in an interaction with a black person? This is a sincere question.

The police represent all of us and are acting in all of our names. I expect police officers to behave legally, ethically, and responsibly, not just when the person they're interacting with is respectful and deferential, but always. Always. Maybe you have other expectations.


There is literally no such case for some people. I mean, if you can't get folks on board that shooting a 12 year-old on a swingset is wrong, or a 7 year-old asleep on her grandmother's couch, you will never get them on board with anything involving and adult.
Anonymous
Post 07/24/2015 11:52     Subject: Woman moves from Illinois to Texas and ends up dead in jail cell
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:

If I was pulled over and started acting agitated/nervous and refused a simple request to put out a cigarette (knowing that most non-smokers are bothered by smoke blowing in their face), I would not be surprised if the officer asked me to get out of the car. We can't see exactly what she was doing or how she was acting in the car, but I don't think it's unreasonable for the cop to request that she get out of the car if began suspecting that something else might be going on (hiding drugs, etc.). And when I refused and got extremely belligerent and combative, I would not expect him to just say, "okay, never mind, be on your way then."


What does it take to get everybody agree that a police officer acted wrongly in an interaction with a black person? This is a sincere question.

The police represent all of us and are acting in all of our names. I expect police officers to behave legally, ethically, and responsibly, not just when the person they're interacting with is respectful and deferential, but always. Always. Maybe you have other expectations.


Well, I might "expect" the cop to be a jerk, but that doesn't mean it's okay. It just means that I've encountered jerk cops before. The cop was a dick. His own department admits that he acted improperly, and yet all the authoritarians on this board are still defending him. Amazing.


I'm the PP you're responding to, and I want to clarify that by "expect", I mean "that's how police officers should behave", not "that's how I think all police officers will behave".
Anonymous
Post 07/24/2015 11:50     Subject: Woman moves from Illinois to Texas and ends up dead in jail cell
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:

If I was pulled over and started acting agitated/nervous and refused a simple request to put out a cigarette (knowing that most non-smokers are bothered by smoke blowing in their face), I would not be surprised if the officer asked me to get out of the car. We can't see exactly what she was doing or how she was acting in the car, but I don't think it's unreasonable for the cop to request that she get out of the car if began suspecting that something else might be going on (hiding drugs, etc.). And when I refused and got extremely belligerent and combative, I would not expect him to just say, "okay, never mind, be on your way then."


What does it take to get everybody agree that a police officer acted wrongly in an interaction with a black person? This is a sincere question.

The police represent all of us and are acting in all of our names. I expect police officers to behave legally, ethically, and responsibly, not just when the person they're interacting with is respectful and deferential, but always. Always. Maybe you have other expectations.


Well, I might "expect" the cop to be a jerk, but that doesn't mean it's okay. It just means that I've encountered jerk cops before. The cop was a dick. His own department admits that he acted improperly, and yet all the authoritarians on this board are still defending him. Amazing.
Anonymous
Post 07/24/2015 11:48     Subject: Woman moves from Illinois to Texas and ends up dead in jail cell
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Reports now that Sandra Bland was actually dead when the mugshots were taken.

-her shoulder goes straight out as if she is laying down
-her hair falls back instead of down
-the wall in the jail is tan, the floor is grey.
-her eyes look lifeless
-why is she wearing a prison uniform in her mugshot?


Dumb. Her eyes don't look lifeless. I saw a side-by-side comparison with another inmate and he was also in a prison jumpsuit in his mugshot, and doing something like this would cause such a commotion other inmates are almost certain to have noticed.


There was a commotion. When the emts were called. How did she hang herself on a 5 foot wall, she's six feet. Also, the news tested a Waller county trash bag. The bag broke. I had guessed that before. Why did they think it made sense to say someone hanged herself with a plastic bag?


She was sitting. Apparently this is not an uncommon way to hang yourself in jail. I didn't know this, but DH did.


Robbin Williams, Actor/comedian - killed himself siting down by hanging. He was white.

There was no foul play suspected and he was sober at the time.

However, Robin did have a known history of depression.
Anonymous
Post 07/24/2015 11:43     Subject: Woman moves from Illinois to Texas and ends up dead in jail cell
Serious question: What is proper police protocol if someone is being noncompliant and belligerent. Are they supposed to call for back-up and.. then what?
Anonymous
Post 07/24/2015 11:21     Subject: Woman moves from Illinois to Texas and ends up dead in jail cell
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:

If I was pulled over and started acting agitated/nervous and refused a simple request to put out a cigarette (knowing that most non-smokers are bothered by smoke blowing in their face), I would not be surprised if the officer asked me to get out of the car. We can't see exactly what she was doing or how she was acting in the car, but I don't think it's unreasonable for the cop to request that she get out of the car if began suspecting that something else might be going on (hiding drugs, etc.). And when I refused and got extremely belligerent and combative, I would not expect him to just say, "okay, never mind, be on your way then."


What does it take to get everybody agree that a police officer acted wrongly in an interaction with a black person? This is a sincere question.

The police represent all of us and are acting in all of our names. I expect police officers to behave legally, ethically, and responsibly, not just when the person they're interacting with is respectful and deferential, but always. Always. Maybe you have other expectations.


I agree, if I were an objective person who had never interacted with the police before in any fashion, or known or spoke to anyone who had, I would say this is terrible. He was aggressive, did not de-escalate, etc. But I've interacted with the police, my family and friends have, I know very well to be careful in small town Texas, even moreso in small town East Texas (I grew up in big city Texas, btw). And if you have out of state plates, or are DWB, or look too rich, or too poor, or your car is too fancy, etc., then be deferential AT ALL TIMES, just in case.

Maybe body cams and dash cams will bring about actual reform and improvement of police, even in small towns. It'll probably be slow. But maybe it will happen.
Anonymous
Post 07/24/2015 11:14     Subject: Woman moves from Illinois to Texas and ends up dead in jail cell
Where is her side mugshot?
Anonymous
Post 07/24/2015 11:13     Subject: Woman moves from Illinois to Texas and ends up dead in jail cell
Anonymous wrote:

If I was pulled over and started acting agitated/nervous and refused a simple request to put out a cigarette (knowing that most non-smokers are bothered by smoke blowing in their face), I would not be surprised if the officer asked me to get out of the car. We can't see exactly what she was doing or how she was acting in the car, but I don't think it's unreasonable for the cop to request that she get out of the car if began suspecting that something else might be going on (hiding drugs, etc.). And when I refused and got extremely belligerent and combative, I would not expect him to just say, "okay, never mind, be on your way then."


What does it take to get everybody agree that a police officer acted wrongly in an interaction with a black person? This is a sincere question.

The police represent all of us and are acting in all of our names. I expect police officers to behave legally, ethically, and responsibly, not just when the person they're interacting with is respectful and deferential, but always. Always. Maybe you have other expectations.
Anonymous
Post 07/24/2015 11:13     Subject: Woman moves from Illinois to Texas and ends up dead in jail cell
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Reports now that Sandra Bland was actually dead when the mugshots were taken.

-her shoulder goes straight out as if she is laying down
-her hair falls back instead of down
-the wall in the jail is tan, the floor is grey.
-her eyes look lifeless
-why is she wearing a prison uniform in her mugshot?


Dumb. Her eyes don't look lifeless. I saw a side-by-side comparison with another inmate and he was also in a prison jumpsuit in his mugshot, and doing something like this would cause such a commotion other inmates are almost certain to have noticed.


There was a commotion. When the emts were called. How did she hang herself on a 5 foot wall, she's six feet. Also, the news tested a Waller county trash bag. The bag broke. I had guessed that before. Why did they think it made sense to say someone hanged herself with a plastic bag?


She was sitting. Apparently this is not an uncommon way to hang yourself in jail. I didn't know this, but DH did.


Then why does the report say she was hanging in a standing position? At some point we need to open our eyes and realize that there are inconsistencies.


Inconsistencies are one thing. And arguing that she may have been murdered instead of a suicide.

But to say that her mugshot, which was taken when she was booked, 3 days prior to her death, did not show her alive, is ugly. Who was it who made the phone calls to her friends, the bail bondsman, if not her?