Texas Officer Says He Was Pressured Into Silence About Sandra Bland Case
By Stephen Gossett in News on Jul 29, 2016 8:50PM
A police officer who works in the town where Sandra Bland was pulled over, Prairie View, TX, claims he was forced into silence by prosecutors when he wanted to testify to a grand jury about police impropriety, according to an Associated Press report.
Officer Michael Kelley claims that an assistant at the Waller County district attorney’s office threatened his career if he aired grievances to the Bland family lawyer. Kelley alleges that Bland exhibited “marks on her forehead” after being pulled over, and that the arresting officer, Brian Encinia, spoke with a supervisor on the phone about how to charge Bland, according to the AP. He also reportedly claims Encinia left out important details—although it is not specified what those details are.
Waller Count District Attorney Elton Mathis has denied the allegations.
Kelley is not without controversy of his own, however. As the story points out, he was suspended after using a Taser on an African-American city councilman and indicted for a misdemeanor charge of official oppression over the incident.
This past July 13 marked one year since Bland’s death. The Naperville woman died while in police custody following a traffic stop in Texas. Her death was ruled a suicide, a determination Bland’s family, friends and supporters dispute. Trooper Encinia was indicted on perjury charges stemming from the incident and fired. Sandra Bland's mother, Geneva Reed-Veal, appeared alongside the mother of Hadiya Pendleton, Cleopatra Cowley-Pendleton, at the Democratic National Convention on Tuesday. Pendleton was shot to death in Kenwood weeks removed form performing at President Barack Obama’s second inauguration.