Sandra Bland Controversy - Killed by Cops or Martyr?

[CatDaddy4daWin]

So I'm sure most have heard about this woman who got stopped in Texas, was arrested and was found dead 3 days later, having supposedly hung herself with a trash bag.

After watching the tapes of arrest and jail cell, and assuming the FBI concludes the tapes weren't tampered with, I'm beginning to wonder if she didn't martyr herself to cause more attention to be brought on police brutality.

What do you guys think? Was she killed in her cell by cops or did she hang herself? Keep in mind she has been active on social media in regards to the police killings of black people. Could she have done this to further the cause? Or was she just depressed and suicidal?

It seems like she brought the arrest on herself for being an absolute biyotch to the officer but he shouldn't have asked her to get out of the car simply for not putting her cigarette out. It seemed like she wanted to cause a scene by her behavior and the officer obliged by being a total prick as well.

It's just hard to wrap your mind around why someone would kill themselves over a small thing. Whole thing makes no sense.

 

[TheySoSensitive]

Again, another situation that would've been prevented if the 'victim' was simply not a douchebag.

Also, bitches be crazy.

 

[WayneDougan]

Where's the incentive for the cops to hang her?

 

[TheySoSensitive]

Again, another situation that would've been prevented if the 'victim' was simply not a douchebag.

Basically, it takes two special kinds of douchebag to let these things escalate to someone getting shot. Power hungry cops that are already a-holes and entitled citizens with built up anger is a disaster.

Also, bitches be crazy.

 

[Willy4UK]

With an ordinary name like Sandra Bland, I really didn't care what happened to her.

 

[Willy4UK]

View embedded media

Well, one of my favorite singers had the same 'bland' name...

Well he did add "blue" to his name to give it more pep. Plus, that was a great song. Dude got some blues.

 

[JumperJack]

If she does what she's told during an encounter with a cop like the rest of us, there's no story.

 

[rodgerblue]

Suicide.

 

[KyFaninNC]

Was she killed in her cell by cops or

Cops killed her. White cops are always looking for ways to kill black people, didn't you know that?

 

[crazyqx83]

If she does what she's told during an encounter with a cop like the rest of us, there's no story.

Yup. Just keep on submitting to those cops.

 

[FtWorthCat]

Why was she in jail for three days for an unsignaled lane change?

 

[-LEK-]

Why was she in jail for three days for an unsignaled lane change?

Is that true?

 

[KyFaninNC]

Don't know what happened to her in jail, but that was a shitty reason to pull her over.

 

[Deeeefense]

Why was she in jail for three days for an unsignaled lane change?

on TV tonight they said she was charge with "assaulting an officer". Allegedly she swung elbows that hit Barney Fife.

 

[fatguy87]

Here is the video of her arrest:



Skip to ~2 minutes to bypass the first delinquent driver in the clip.

 

[bthaunert]

Don't know what happened to her in jail, but that was a shitty reason to pull her over.

Very shitty reason. Pull someone over because they didn't signal a lane change? That's bs. I'm all about respecting the police, but I don't believe smoking a cigarette while being questioned by the police is illegal. Why pull her over and why have her put out her cigarette?

 

[TheySoSensitive]

It seems now more than ever you are getting cops sho seriously abuse their power or have a bad case of small man syndrome. No reason to be going around treating people like shit.

 

[Caliparity]

Why was she in jail for three days for an unsignaled lane change?

She was in jail for assaulting the police officer, and she had yet to make bail. He asked her to put out a cigarette, and then she got combative about it. Many cops will typically ask people to put out their cigarettes so that they cannot be burned by them. She makes a comment like, "I'm in my car, why I got to put my cigarette out?" That's what prompts him to ask her to step out of the car, and when she refuses, it just escalates from there.

Here is the video: http://www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-texas-new-sandra-bland-video--20150722-story.html#page=1

Her family and friends are in denial that she would kill herself. They are using the logic that because she was excited about a new job, there is no way she would kill herself. It's almost as logical as somebody saying, "so-and-so had a job and earned a wage, so they would not kill themself". People kill themselves for pointless reasons all the time. It does make you wonder if she was trying to martyr herself. The "activist groups" are just using it for attention like they always do. She is being labeled by the media as an "activist". I guess anybody who posts an opinion on Facebook is an "activist" instead of "unemployed".

If this wasn't a suicide, then the jail had a highly-coordinated effort with multiple people involved just to kill one person who was basically insignificant to them. There is no logic to why she is dead and why it is a national news story.

 

[WonderBraa]

Doesn't matter if she killed herself or not. Media already has the ball rolling and it's almost time to cue the riots.

 

[GrandePdre]

The police officer has to be better than that. Dude flipped out and decided to detain her over being annoyed and smoking a cigarette? Weak. Then, he decided to charge her with assault of a peace officer? Bullshit. He's unfit to be a police officer. He abused his power. The woman is dead. Never should've been in jail. Never should've been held for 3 days. Never should've had a $5,000 bond.

Martyr herself, my ass.

 

[SomeDudeCRO]

All I know is I'm tired of all this weekly tragedy and drama, especially cases like this where all it takes is just one of them not being a complete idiot for it all to be avoided.

 

[jamo0001]

It seems now more than ever you are getting cops sho seriously abuse their power or have a bad case of small man syndrome. No reason to be going around treating people like shit.

Or maybe the proliferation of camera phones and viral social media have ensured things that used to be whispered within neighborhoods are now documented and broadcast to the whole world.

 

[Mashburned]

Uhhh, I'm no justice ball, but seems like the cop is dead wrong here. One, he instigates all this. Two, f'n non-signaled lane change? LOL. In broad daylight.

"What's wrong?"
"Put your cigarette out"
"Step out of the car"
LOL

He then proceeds to get her out of the car. He knows exactly where the camera isn't. He is rattled after the head bashing. Makes sure the other cop saw what he did. Even says he's got it on camera. These people. Yea, she was a punk, but she's the not hot-head who pulled someone for an illegal lane change and then harassed the driver. That guy feigns power something awful.

Anyway, based on this Im leaning toward she died from a brain hemorrhage. I see no way that lady kills herself. She was salivating at the thought of suing him.

But law dogs, what's the deal? To md, he had no right to pull her in the first place. But he does and he did. Then, he verbally taunts her. Then he orders her out of the car - for what? She's being arrested - for what? Resisting arrest! She wasn't under arrest. She never resisted arrest....until the convenient part where they are off camera, a head gets busted, and cop says she kicked him.

Cop created all this. Lady was a bitch, but you'd be pissed to if a cop pulled you for no reason, then pulled you from the car for no reason...oh, because you we're resisting arrest.


Where's the other dash video that might have captured the head bashing?

 

[Mashburned]

Didn't this cop already resign? That tells me something. Or an I thinking of another incident?

 

[KyFaninNC]

What kind of security that jail got that did not find her for 3 days? Did they not feed her?

 

[Ron Mehico]

That video was absolutely awful. Ya she was an idiot, but pulling her over for a lane change? One of the dumbest things I've ever seen, I've never been pulled over for something like that. Then, right when he's about to hand her over the ticket, totally creates a scene and tells her to put out a cigarette and then get out of the care. I've never been treated like that by a cop. That was so unnecessary and so dumb. Best part about the whole thing is someone was probably getting raped a block away.

 

[Strokin_Bandit]

Police will have drivers put out a cigarette because smoking can mask the smell of alcohol.

 

[cbpointblank1979]

No clue how or why she died, but she was pulled over for failure to signal a lane change, then the cop threatened to tase her for refusing to put out her cigarette (while in her own car).

 

[Mashburned]

I'm really surprised they didn't find drugs in her car. Cop really F'd up there. If he wasn't so emotional he might have found drugs in her car, and this situation would be over.

 

[Svarog]

I watched the full 51 minute video on LL several days ago. While she certainly did not help herself, that cop is toast IMO before this is over. He escalated that at every turn. That was all so easily avoided and it is sickening it progressed to the point it did. Only one of them was trained to handle the situation and by their own department's admission they did not follow proper procedure.

Isolation is tough on folks. I think she killed herself in the cell unless someone can show that video was tampered with in the jail which I do not expect to happen. Just a terrible pointless escalation. The whole thing was utter nonsense.

 

[CatDaddy4daWin]

Sad thing is, she told the officer she changed lanes so that he could get around here...smh

The lady did her herself no favors for how she interacted with the cop but at some point you gotta think you would have enough of the harassment that most black people endure from cops. The list of b.s. reasons they are harassed is endless.

It's gonna be really hard for her family to accept that she killed herself but it sounds like that is exactly what happened. Over a lane change. And not putting her cigarette out.

 

[Svarog]

The entire issue came to a head over the cigarette and at that point the cop escalated the situation and she went right along with him.

 

[catsfanbgky]

What will get the cop toasted is when he says "I will light you up." Now did he mean taze, or beat the touch out of her ? She was trying to use her rights as a black woman in her own car smoking. Cops do ask ALL race and nationality when pulled over to put out a cigarette if smoking. He may not smoke, but the reason is it obstructs the interview he is doing. It is 100% wrong to be targeted and she was(DWB), but if you know this shit happens, do not be a smart ass to the police and simple comply. It makes everyone involved situation go smoother.

I will wait to all the facts come out (like Trevon Martin and the Ferguson deal) before I convict the cop for such a petty stop. Maybe she had been driving reckless for a while, or he observed suspicious activity before the lane switch. Me when I drive and life in general, I stay in my lane, I don't get in nobody lane.

 

[Svarog]

Cop has no legal basis from which to order you to put out a cigarette which you are smoking in your own car when you are not being arrested.

He then orders her out of the car and it all goes to hell.

 

[Svarog]

I will wait to all the facts come out (like Trevon Martin and the Ferguson deal) before I convict the cop for such a petty stop. Maybe she had been driving reckless for a while, or he observed suspicious activity before the lane switch. Me when I drive and life in general, I stay in my lane, I don't get in nobody lane.

You don't need to wait. The entire video from beginning (when he issues a warning to another driver) to end is already online (all 52 minutes of it) and none of what you are theorizing is correct. None of it.

Here is the entire incident start to finish which begins prior to the officer encountering Bland:

Embedded media from this media site is no longer available

 

[Mashburned]

Stay in your own lane is great advice.

 

[mdlUK.1]

Yup. Just keep on submitting to those cops.

Actually, YES! You follow their instructions and if they are wrong, sue them. Not that hard to comprehend.

 

[Svarog]

Settle in under that yoke and submit quietly like a good little doggie.

 

[qwesley]

She had attempted suicide in the past year so nothing that suspicious about the death.

These types of confrontations will continue to grow....lots of bad cops and lots of losers out there that think it is cool now to mouth off to those cops is not good.

OPs girl, HRC, has already started using the event to her advantage.

 

[Svarog]

Cop has no legal basis for which to order you to put out your cigarette if you are not being arrested and you are not in a no smoking zone. He can ask all he wants. You not throwing away your personal property at his whim is certainly no basis to order you out of the car and work you over without bothering to say why and then blatantly lying about it on camera.

You all can second guess until the cows come home but I am telling you this officer is toast. Only a matter of time until the ax falls and they fire him.

 

[Chuckinden]

Settle in under that yoke and submit quietly like a good little doggie.

That's better than getting arrested.

Both were in the wrong. Cops don't like to be talked back to and then use their "powers" to show you that. She should have done what she was told.

This is an isolated incident, but this cop needs to learn what "protect and serve" really means.

 

[coolcat9lives]

That's better than getting arrested.

Both were in the wrong. Cops don't like to be talked back to and then use their "powers" to show you that. She should have done what she was told.

This is an isolated incident, but this cop needs to learn what "protect and serve" really means.

I'm confused. When did mouthing off to a cop become a punishable offense? What about that freedom of speech everybody is talking about? Why doesn't it apply here? The fact is she is human and should be treated as such. Greed and power ruin all great societies and it seems we are seeing the beginnings of that in our country right now.

I have been pull over for a similar types of pettiness before. I reacted in the same way. It is frustrating to KNOW you are being targeted. I encourage you guys to look at this Cop forum from about 4-5 years back on failure to signal stops http://forums.officer.com/t158967/. Some have legitimate reasoning for pulling people over for this violation but of course some use it as a means to an end. Should cops be selectively enforcing laws in order to investigate further? Isn't that profiling?

I've been pulled over for driving 65 in a 70 at 3 am with no one else on the road. I've been followed on several occasions into my townhome complex (which is hard to access), breathalyzed at noon during a routine traffic stop for a taillight (I was as sober as you can get) and I've had a cop push through 3 lanes of traffic to pull me over for seatbelt I already had on (He yelled, "You stop when you see a cop you understand me!" from the speaker in his car. I didn't even know he was targeting me until that point.) I would like to know how many of you have even experienced an encounter of the nature. You are very naïve person (or perhaps in denial) if you think this is an isolated incident. People can say things like "Just comply and if the officer is in the wrong sue!" but these are not realistic solutions.

What hard working everyday American has the time or money to pursue something like this? Not to mention, I highly doubt that the court systems in this Texas area would have been very receptive to her grievances. Things like this become more trouble than they're worth, it's dropped and the cycle continues.

 

[jamo0001]

is Svarog the newest Z or nah?