Young woman changes lane without signal found dead in jail

[philip964]

I believe it was the trash can liner.

[Oldgringo]

I'll chime in.

If you're stopped by LE, don't act like you're entitled to act belligerent even if you're absolutely convinced you're in the right and the LEO is in the wrong.

It won't go well for you.

Act like a rational adult, accept your ticket and dispute it in court - not in the street.

I agree with the above statement and I also believe drivers should signal lane changes.

[jmra]

Video of jail where woman died released - motion activated camera in hallway shows no activity during the time of her death. ME has ruled death suicide. Dash cam to be released. Nothing damaging to police story on Dash Cam. Police claim the woman was arrested for kicking an officer. According to DPS the officer violated traffic stop procedures. Stay tuned.

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2015/07/21/te ... man-death/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Jaguar]

Further information coming out.

The DPS released the complete and raw dash cam video from the arresting officer. Due to language I won't embed or link the video.

Code: Select all

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=URAZ3umt7v0

Some observations. I believe it is Ms. Bland's vehicle that fails to stop prior to entering the roadway just before the officer completes a u-turn and speed up to get behind Bland's car.

Everything seems fine but she is obviously upset at the situation and the officer inquires as to why she is upset. At this point she tells him he was speeding up behind her so she got out if his way, but got pulled over for her action and is willing to take the ticket. He then asks "are you done?" and she replies, "you asked me what was wrong and I told you, so now I'm done, yeah." He then makes a request, "would you mind putting out your cigarette, please, if you don't mind?" She then replies, "I'm in my car, why do I have to put out my cigarette?" Upon failure to cooperate with this request the officer decides to arrest her. "Well you can step on out now."

Okay, why was she arrested? She was having a bad day and didn't make any pretense on hiding that fact. He seemed reasonable up until the point he "asked" her to put her cigarette out. After she refused his request (he did say please) she was immediately being arrested. The arrest was for assaulting a police officer, but that didn't happen until after she was in cuffs and yanked around a few times. She used foul language once it became clear she was going to jail, but only seemed upset that she was pulled over and was fairly polite up until the "step out" part. She did have an "attitude" but no worse than what I hear daily and I don't give out traffic tickets.

What happened in the jail where she died I don't know. Why she was arrested, after watching the video I still don't know. I saw a copy of the arrest report and there is so much "creative writing" in it that I can't believe any of it. Why would she commit suicide waiting on a $500 bond and most likely having the entire thing thrown out?

[Jumping Frog]

Upon failure to cooperate with this request the officer decides to arrest her. "Well you can step on out now."

Okay, why was she arrested? She was having a bad day and didn't make any pretense on hiding that fact. He seemed reasonable up until the point he "asked" her to put her cigarette out. After she refused his request (he did say please) she was immediately being arrested. The arrest was for assaulting a police officer, but that didn't happen until after she was in cuffs and yanked around a few times. She used foul language once it became clear she was going to jail, but only seemed upset that she was pulled over and was fairly polite up until the "step out" part. She did have an "attitude" but no worse than what I hear daily and I don't give out traffic tickets.

Well, that isn't how I saw it. Maybe our perceptions of the world is different, which is entirely reasonable.

When she asked why did she have to put out her cigarette because she was in her own car, he asked her to step out of the car. At that moment, I do not assume it was step out of the car to arrest her, it was just giving her a lawful order to step out of the car. Clearly, she was going downhill on failing the attitude test thereafter. When she was refusing a lawful order and he said he was going to remove her, I believe the assaulting the police officer happened while she was still in the car, and resisting being removed from the car.

My attitude regarding police stops is that every one is a negotiation. Someone is either going to get a ticket or go to jail today, but it doesn't have to be me. My actions have a big influence on what path the negotiations take. She obviously chose a different route.

[carlson1]

Everyone of the past few deaths with police have one thing in common. RESISTING.

Rather than sending police to classes on how to deal with differed races how about going into neighborhoods and teach how to comply.

This thing of learning how to deal with different races is nothing, but evil. All races are people. Police may need some more people skills, but it is not limited to a particular race.

[philip964]

The latest news events have shown the Waller DA is doing a good job. Taking it serious, being open and forth comming.

I wish Waco was being handled the same way.

[jmra]

Everyone of the past few deaths with police have one thing in common. RESISTING.

Rather than sending police to classes on how to deal with differed races how about going into neighborhoods and teach how to comply.

This thing of learning how to deal with different races is nothing, but evil. All races are people. Police may need some more people skills, but it is not limited to a particular race.

[suthdj]

Upon failure to cooperate with this request the officer decides to arrest her. "Well you can step on out now."

Okay, why was she arrested? She was having a bad day and didn't make any pretense on hiding that fact. He seemed reasonable up until the point he "asked" her to put her cigarette out. After she refused his request (he did say please) she was immediately being arrested. The arrest was for assaulting a police officer, but that didn't happen until after she was in cuffs and yanked around a few times. She used foul language once it became clear she was going to jail, but only seemed upset that she was pulled over and was fairly polite up until the "step out" part. She did have an "attitude" but no worse than what I hear daily and I don't give out traffic tickets.

Well, that isn't how I saw it. Maybe our perceptions of the world is different, which is entirely reasonable.

When she asked why did she have to put out her cigarette because she was in her own car, he asked her to step out of the car. At that moment, I do not assume it was step out of the car to arrest her, it was just giving her a lawful order to step out of the car. Clearly, she was going downhill on failing the attitude test thereafter. When she was refusing a lawful order and he said he was going to remove her, I believe the assaulting the police officer happened while she was still in the car, and resisting being removed from the car.

My attitude regarding police stops is that every one is a negotiation. Someone is either going to get a ticket or go to jail today, but it doesn't have to be me. My actions have a big influence on what path the negotiations take. She obviously chose a different route.

She had an attitude he had an ego if both had kept them in check it could have turned out different, regardless of that she made the choice to have an attitude she got arrested and she took her life. I won't fault anyone but her for her taking her life.

[jmra]

Why would she commit suicide waiting on a $500 bond and most likely having the entire thing thrown out?

I thought that was an excellent question so I started reading as many articles as I could find. When you start to look at the big picture things start to come together.
In March she posted on her FB page that she was suffering from depression and PTSD. She was arrested twice for DWI (convicted once), arrested twice for possession of marijuana (convicted once), and convicted of theft of less than $150.
She was moving cross country to accept a position that given her record it's very surprising she was hired. I'm sure her record was discussed in the interview and her employer was ensured that all those things were in the past.
So we have someone with a history of depression, a history of PTSD, a history of alcohol abuse, most likely a history of drug abuse (arrested twice for possession would suggest pretty frequent use in my book), and petty theft, and she was in the middle of a "life changing" event. These factors suggest to me she may well have viewed this job as a last opportunity to get her life on track. Sitting in her jail cell I can't help but believe that she saw that opportunity ending before it ever began. (I have to believe that when the school discovered the latest arrest there would be the strong likelihood that the offer would be rescinded.)
People with only one of these risk factors have taken their own life. Given the number of risk factors she possessed there is little doubt in my mind she committed suicide.

[C-dub]

None of this entire thing makes any sense. I don't know how the Trooper got from going to give her a warning for failure to signal the lane change to demanding her to get out of her car. I know he has the authority to do so, but I don't understand why he wanted or needed to do so in the first place.

The jail where she was being kept had no dog in this hunt and no reason to kill her. I don't see any reason why she would kill herself over this. The only thing that even comes close to a reason is that she wanted to become a martyr, but that's just crazy talk.

[txglock21]

I watched the entire dash-cam video this morning and forgive me if this sounds harsh, but he was just going to give her a WARNING ticket, but she would not shut up long enough to hear that. Instead, she just kept mouthing off at him and not doing anything he ASKED her to do. I'm sorry, but if she would have just kept her mouth shut long enough to accept her warning, none of this would have occurred. If a police officer asks me to do a tap dance on the roof of my car, I will and then file a complaint a later time. I'm just commenting on the traffic stop. As for what happened 3 days later in the jail, I don't know and have no comment at this time. Just my 2 cents.

[txcharvel]

Granted, she did display attitude from the beginning...BUT...

The officer at one point asked her why she was so upset, which she then responded. The officer displayed his apparent contempt for the woman when he asked "are you done" or "are you finished". He asked her why she was upset when it was apparently obvious she was upset because she was pulled over. It could be argued the officer did this to further antagonize the woman. This certainly couldn't have been the first time he'd pulled someone over and they were upset.

Can someone tell me what a lawful order is? Was it a lawful order asking her to put out the cigarette or asking her to get out of the car? Was he asking her to put out the cigarette because he intended to arrest her? It was as this point that it went completely down hill. If his intent was to arrest her when her asked her to put her cigarette out, then the question is why?

Let me add that the officer may have seen something that made him think she was a danger to others by her actions, but he certainly had issues controlling his frustration.

[C-dub]

Granted, she did display attitude from the beginning...BUT...

The officer at one point asked her why she was so upset, which she then responded. The officer displayed his apparent contempt for the woman when he asked "are you done" or "are you finished". He asked her why she was upset when it was apparently obvious she was upset because she was pulled over. It could be argued the officer did this to further antagonize the woman. This certainly couldn't have been the first time he'd pulled someone over and they were upset.

Can someone tell me what a lawful order is? Was it a lawful order asking her to put out the cigarette or asking her to get out of the car? Was he asking her to put out the cigarette because he intended to arrest her? It was as this point that it went completely down hill. If his intent was to arrest her when her asked her to put her cigarette out, then the question is why?

Let me add that the officer may have seen something that made him think she was a danger to others by her actions, but he certainly had issues controlling his frustration.

That's what I'm thinking, but it doesn't make sense.

TxGlock21, I thought she had shut up right before the Trooper asked her to put out her cig. If, instead of asking her to do that and he had just gone ahead and given her the warning we wouldn't know anything about this woman or this stop. If she hadn't resisted, .... yada yada yada

That's why I think none of this makes sense. If he was going to give her a warning, what difference does her smoking make? If she was, in her mind and possibly true, going to win big in court, why commit suicide?

[TVGuy]

Granted, she did display attitude from the beginning...BUT...

The officer at one point asked her why she was so upset, which she then responded. The officer displayed his apparent contempt for the woman when he asked "are you done" or "are you finished". He asked her why she was upset when it was apparently obvious she was upset because she was pulled over. It could be argued the officer did this to further antagonize the woman. This certainly couldn't have been the first time he'd pulled someone over and they were upset.

Can someone tell me what a lawful order is? Was it a lawful order asking her to put out the cigarette or asking her to get out of the car? Was he asking her to put out the cigarette because he intended to arrest her? It was as this point that it went completely down hill. If his intent was to arrest her when her asked her to put her cigarette out, then the question is why?

Let me add that the officer may have seen something that made him think she was a danger to others by her actions, but he certainly had issues controlling his frustration.

That's what I'm thinking, but it doesn't make sense.

TxGlock21, I thought she had shut up right before the Trooper asked her to put out her cig. If, instead of asking her to do that and he had just gone ahead and given her the warning we wouldn't know anything about this woman or this stop. If she hadn't resisted, .... yada yada yada

That's why I think none of this makes sense. If he was going to give her a warning, what difference does her smoking make? If she was, in her mind and possibly true, going to win big in court, why commit suicide?

I don't believe the woman was sane. Why act that outlandish toward a small traffic violation ticket or warning, especially if you thought you were going to win in court.

She obviously had problems that were both displayed in the arrest and later by committing suicide.

You can't rationalize the actions of someone acting completely irrational.