Review Panel Says Texas Jail Where Sandra Bland Died Had Problems
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HEMPSTEAD (AP) - A panel reviewing the jail where Sandra Bland died last summer after being taken into custody has called for a major overhaul of its procedures and facilities.
The panel issued its recommendations Tuesday. It says a new jail is needed because the current one is inadequate. The panel also called for improving digital access to information about inmates and purchasing body cameras for staff.
One panelist, Craig Washington, said inmates are "entitled to be treated with dignity and respect."
Bland, who was black and from the Chicago area, died in the Waller County jail three days after her arrest. Authorities ruled it a suicide.
Dashcam video captured a confrontation between Bland and Brian Encinia, the trooper who arrested her. Encinia has pleaded not guilty to a misdemeanor perjury charge.
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