Texas

Protest in South LA Over Woman's Texas Jail Cell Death

Community leaders ask for federal investigation

Community leaders gathered Tuesday in the Leimert Park area of South Los Angeles to protest after the death of Sandra Bland, who died in police custody after a traffic stop in Texas July 10.

Protestors were asking for a federal investigation into the death of Bland, 28, who died inside a jail cell days after she was arrested in Waller County, Texas. Bland was in the process of relocating to her hometown of Chicago, Ill. after she was hired at her alma mater, Prairie View of A&M University.

Officials in Texas ruled Bland's death a suicide. South Los Angeles community leaders have scrutinized the circumstances in the death of Bland.

"A young woman who had everything to live for -- why she would have to drive from Chicago to Texas and hang herself?" asked Najee Ali, of the National Action Network.

Officials released dashcam footage Tuesday of the traffic stop when Bland allegedly assaulted an officer before she was arrested.

Bland allegedly once posted to Facebook that she suffered from depression and post-traumatic stress disorder. But Bland's sorority sisters from Sigma Gamma Rho Inc. in Los Angeles disputed the coroner's ruling of suicide.

"This is about sisterhood as a whole. Sandra Bland is 28 years old. I'm 28 years old. When you think about that, this is a time when she was doing something progressive for her life," said Danielle Edwards, a member of Sigma Gamma Rho Inc.

The Texas Department of Public Safety confirmed Tuesday it was investigating allegations that the dashcam video was edited before it was uploaded to YouTube.

The Waller County District Attorney's office said it will conduct a thorough investigation into the case.

A funeral for Bland is expected to be held this weekend in Chicago.
 

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