In Texas, the state trooper who pulled over Sandra Bland for a routine traffic stop that ultimately led to her death has been fired.
In February, state trooper Brian Encinia met with his superiors to mull over the next steps of his career, according to KHOU-TV, but Texas Department of Public Safety Director Steven C. McCraw says he saw no reason to retain Encina’s employment.
Following his stop of Bland on July 10, 2015 and a grand jury’s non-indictment of any Waller County Jail employees where Bland was incarcerated and subsequently found dead three days later, Encinia had previously remained on desk duty.
In January, Encinia was indicted on a misdemeanor count of perjury after a grand jury felt he lied to them while testifying about Bland’s arrest, saying she was “combative and uncooperative,” despite dash cam footage showing otherwise. The Bland family has also levied a wrongful death civil lawsuit against Encinia. If convicted of perjury, he faces one year in jail and a $4,000 fine.
Contact the author at [email protected].
Image via AP.