Editors note: At Burning Spear press time Waller County attorneys representing a secret grand jury announced that there would be no indictments in the murder of Sandra Bland. Revisit Uhuru News for updates.
HOUSTON—In the same federal courthouse where Muhammad Ali was convicted for draft evasion in June of 1967, a wrongful death suit was initiated on December 17, 2015 by attorneys representing the family of Sandra Bland.
Sandra Bland, a 28-year-old African political activist was brutally arrested in July of 2015 in Prairie View (Waller County), Texas for a bogus traffic violation.
Three days later, she was found hanged in her jail cell. The county sheriffs ruled her death a suicide although the coroner investigated the case as a homicide.
In front of a jammed packed courtroom and a militant demonstration outside, supporters of Sandra Bland heard as attorneys representing Waller County refused numerous requests made by the Bland family’s lead attorney, Cannon Lambert, to turn over evidence to the plaintiffs.
These requests referred to any evidence concerning the activities of Bland from point of arrest and any information that the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Texas rangers, the state police or Waller County jail officials may have including jail videos and Bland’s phone. It also includes whatever evidence police from Prairie View may have obtained.
The lawyers for the police claim that they have filed a motion to dismiss the case against all parties named in the civil suit, therefore, reports would be moot if the case is thrown out.
In other words, all concerned should take the cops’ word that Sandra Bland committed suicide and that her arrest was legal.
Lambert points out, however, that they don’t have anything. He noted that Waller county has even refused to give access to the plastic bag ligature that they say Bland used in her cell to hang herself for fingerprinting.
When asked if plastic bags in jail cells violated policy, Waller county responded that the use of plastic bags stemmed from “verbal” authority.
The FBI also filed a motion to quash the suit but they failed to show up in court for the hearing.
At one point federal judge David Hittner declared that he would, “have to pry loose” the reports and evidence from Texas rangers and others who are back-peddling and will not let the trial go forward.
It became crystal clear that Waller County and the State of Texas are covering up the murder of Sandra Bland.
Their absolute refusal to transparency and the ongoing motions and delaying tactics are a war of attrition. Their goal is to wear out and bankrupt the family and to outlast the militant protest demonstrations demanding justice for Sandra Bland.
Sandra Bland’s mother, Geneva Reed-Veal and sister Sharon Cooper came down from Chicago, where they left the murderers of Laquan McDonald, to be present for the hearing.
Mrs. Reed-Veal spoke to the crowd outside the courthouse, thanked the supporters and told them to keep up the good work in Houston and throughout the country. She then stated:
“I’m not okay. My daughter is more than a hashtag. My daughter is gone. I walked into these courthouse doors with continuations, dates and delays. I’m coming out with continuations, dates and delays.”
Judge Hittner set January 23, 2017 as the trial date here at the U.S. federal courthouse in Houston.
Stop the cover-up!
Justice for Sandra Bland!
