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Police Brutality? Sandra Bland Arrest Video Released
The case of Sandra Bland, a woman who died in police custody in Texas, has remained pretty quite until now. The dashcam video of her arrest has just been released, and the public debate is getting heated. Of chief concern is that there’s an issue with the video. In certain places the image loops, while the audio continues. It’s unclear at this point if the video was edited or if there was a technical problem with the dashcam. Many are also concerned that the phycial confrontation between Bland and Trooper Brian Encinia happened out of the view of the camera, leaving doubts as to what exactly happened.
Three days after her arrest, Sandra Bland was found dead in her jail cell, apparently having been strangled. Her death is being investigated as a murder, though investigators are considering suicide a possibility. Though many are outraged at her death and believe a police officer is responsible, so far the outrage has been confined to social media posts. Hopefully this case will not result in riots like those seen in Ferguson or Baltimore.
What do you think? Were Encinia’s actions police brutality or justified use of force? Do you think the video was edited? Let us know in the comments.
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albert
July 22, 2015 at 10:37 AM
death by lane change oh my these cops are out of control.
Lucy Mauterer
July 22, 2015 at 10:42 AM
My opinion? They murdered her and are trying desperately to cover it up.
Jerry Mark Brinkman
July 22, 2015 at 1:07 PM
Opinions are like Assholes, everyone has one. Waiting for the facts myself.
badcop sodomizer
July 22, 2015 at 2:16 PM
Only problem with assholes is that the only animal that has to wipe after, are humans, no other living animal on this earth!
mike
July 22, 2015 at 1:23 PM
my only question is all the stops he made and only this lady gets arrested be cause of no respect for people over them wonder how she kept a job with that attitude or was she trying to find away to sue them? i don’t know and we might never know.
badcop sodomizer
July 22, 2015 at 2:14 PM
Fuck you pig!
badcop sodomizer
July 22, 2015 at 2:14 PM
Of course!
Donald McIntosh
July 22, 2015 at 2:42 PM
I agree with you fully. The cop was an ass. If he would have told me to put out a cigarette (I dont smoke, but he has no right) I might have reacted the same way only worse. I think most cops were bullied in school and think that they can become the bully when they put a badge on their chest. I would have loved to rip that badge off and shove it down his throat before he had the chance to kill her.
Mark Savacool
July 22, 2015 at 7:37 PM
Actually he was probably the Bully. Once out of high school his subjects were no longer around. So in order to continue his ways he became a cop so he can continue harassing people like this woman. For whom ever made the comment about complying while being detained, She wasn’t being detained so she had the right to act the way she did. He knew very well that he would come across people who are in a hurry or just having a bad day. And how he handled the situation was clearly wrong. All he can do since she wasn’t being DETAINED was to politely ask her to put out the cigarette. Nothing more, nothing less. What she decides to do is her choice. What ever she did off camera is just hearse. coming from a cop who clearly escalated the situation, I wouldn’t believe him for a second. As for what should happen to him, suspension without pay. As for the guards that were on duty when she died, they should be charged. SO NO MATTER WHAT YOU GET PULLED OVER FOR, MAKE SURE TO LOCK YOUR DOORS, ONLY OPEN THE WINDOW JUST ENOUGH FOR THE OFFICER TO BE ABLE TO GET YOUR PAPERS AND “ALWAYS” VIDEO TAPE IT. Everybody these days has a cell phone that takes videos. She had the right idea but just executed it at the wrong time.
Antonio
July 27, 2015 at 3:04 PM
The officer arresting her had nothing to do with the county jail. And I’m sorry to say that comments like yours are the problem with this world today. It was disrespectful for her to even light the cigarette in the first place. When the officer asked her with respect to put it out she got nasty with him. The proper thing to do is obey the officers command with respect. I’ve been stopped 4 times with no ticket because I acted appropriately. When you get pulled over for a violation you committed you should have your license, registration, and proof of insurance ready for him or her by the time they get to the window. Do not speak unless spoken too and do so respectfully.
Evidence8
July 22, 2015 at 10:42 AM
She asked for every bit of the officer’s response. The consequences of her actions, although serious in nature, were bought and paid for, through her beligerant attitude toward receiving a citation for an illegal lane change. I’m sure she would have liked to have the officer say something like, “I’m so sorry I stopped you, because obviously, I had no idea you were above the law, so you may proceed now, and forgive me for making the mistake of stopping you, Your Royal Highness!”
But, that’s not how he was trained, and it’s CERTAINLY NOT in the interests of the Rule of Law, as it is applied under the Constitution of these United States, (at least prior to Barry Soetoro’s rules).
badcop sodomizer
July 22, 2015 at 2:10 PM
Fuck you pig!
badcop sodomizer
July 22, 2015 at 2:13 PM
Fuck you pig!
simplynotred
July 22, 2015 at 2:36 PM
So when people are irritable – detainment is Absolutely necessary, because it get results. Bodies get beat, muscled, handcuffed, and arrested for their irritability and that alone. And just how often does the average person have a moment of irritability – let me guess – possibly daily. So the next time that you are irritable for what ever reason, and a cop wants to talk with you, expect to get detained, searched, handcuffed and arrested. By golly that’s the way to run a civilization.
Fight or Flight Response Anxiety is the activation of the fight of flight response. It’s a response designed to keep you safe from danger, and it is supposed to only occur when you’re faced with fear. Anxiety occurs when the response is malfunctioning. While the fight/flight response doesn’t necessarily “cause” fighting, it does prime the body for a fight, so that those that are slightly more prone to fighting (either because of genetics or upbringing) feel more anger and aggressive.
Irritability Similarly, those that may be more prone to aggression but have otherwise been able to maintain it may find that it’s harder to maintain it when they have anxiety because anxiety causes irritability. This type of irritability usually causes people to close off or become passive aggressive, but in some people, that same irritation can cause them to react more strongly and possibly show aggressive behaviors.
Oh well the cop was able to remove from the face of the earth, an irritable person. Thank God. RIGHT. I wonder if the cop was irritable as well. Maybe he’s next.
M S
July 22, 2015 at 10:46 AM
She was being an idiot during the entire time the officer was contacting her. She escalated the situation with her obstinate and vulgar behavior.
Micheal Pryor
July 22, 2015 at 10:48 AM
That’s like saying wearing a short skirt invites rape!
M S
July 22, 2015 at 11:31 AM
No…a woman has every right to wear a short skirt. She had no right to be an asshole to the Trooper. He said nothing to her that was rude or inappropriate until her obstinate attitude caused him to have to shout at her to get her attention. The chances are she would have gotten off with a warning if she had simply shut her mouth. Some people have real problems doing that and talk themselves into being arrested. It’s called having a lack of civility and it seems more and more people have no clue what that means.
simplynotred
July 22, 2015 at 11:06 AM
If the Cop is NOT way over, then all Citizens should receive the same treatment. But they don’t do they.
Disobeying a police officer, needs to follow specific protocol. What law is being broken for smoking in your car? She was asked to get out because she refused to quit smoking. Would someone be arrested if they refused to stop chewing gum?
Over the TOP is when police uses rudeness as an excuse to physically abuse someone. Even fowl language is NO EXCUSE to physically abuse a driver. There must be a reasonable approach to all traffic violations for all officers. Anything out side of the Normal should be considered illegal behavior for any public official. Brutal Behavior when not in harms way should NEVER BE USED by public officials or any police officer.
This was Unnecessary Brutal Behavior.
Rodney Steward
July 22, 2015 at 11:12 AM
Again, just one side of the story!
simplynotred
July 22, 2015 at 11:35 AM
The Texas trooper who pulled Bland over for failing to signal a lane change said in an affidavit that after handcuffing her for becoming combative, she swung her elbows at him and kicked him in his right shin.
Wow cops are getting harmed so much, especially after drivers don’t use turn signals. Maybe he should work in California, he would be arresting people every 10 seconds for the number of people who don’t use their turn signal must be in the millions.
Scott McElroy
July 22, 2015 at 1:42 PM
When you are pulled over for a traffic violation you are detained!! You are not allowed to smoke, talk on your phone, exit your vehicle, leave the scene etc! Cigarettes and phones can be thrown in an Officers face causing a distraction or worse. It is illegal to refuse a direct order from a Police Officer while you are detained. It is called obstructing and delaying. The Officer had every right to tell her to put out her cigarette. When she did not he asked her to exit the vehicle which she refused! It wasn’t until this point that the Officer stepped up his tone. If she would have still refused to exit she could have been pulled out forcibly or tazed and then pulled out. It is the arm chair lawyers in society that are causing a lot of these problems because they think they know what their rights are which they don’t. The Officer had every right to do what he did. She caused this whole situation on her own. If she would have remained calm and obeyed the Officer she would have either gotten a warning or at worse a ticket!!
badcop sodomizer
July 22, 2015 at 2:09 PM
fuck you dumb slave, that pig has his days counted,I bet you, we all pay the piper and so will you all!
2Bn/22Infantry
July 23, 2015 at 5:45 PM
That a pretty big check your mouth is writing that I can guarantee you are incapable of cashing.
simplynotred
July 22, 2015 at 2:16 PM
Even without suspicion of wrongdoing, a police officer can approach someone and begin a conversation without violating the Fourth Amendment. As long as the individual reasonably feels free to end the discussion and walk away, it’s a consensual encounter.
An officer cannot frisk a detained suspect without a verifiable reason to believe that the person is armed and dangerous. But with that reason, an officer can pat down the suspect’s outer clothing in a search for weapons—if the officer happens upon contraband (like a bag of cocaine), when conducting a limited pat-down for weapons, then it is presumptively admissible in a later prosecution. In that scenario, the officer would transform the detention into an arrest by further restricting the suspect’s freedom by, for instance, using handcuffs and placing the suspect in a patrol vehicle.
Floki
July 22, 2015 at 7:13 PM
You really need to learn the law.
Scott McElroy
July 24, 2015 at 2:00 PM
I know the law! I’m a Police Officer!
Floki
July 24, 2015 at 3:14 PM
You don’t know the law. Just like every other cop out there. You claim to, but then prove you don’t.
Scott McElroy
July 24, 2015 at 4:46 PM
Another arm chair lawyer! The Country is full of them!
Floki
July 24, 2015 at 5:06 PM
Nope a smart citizen that sees the truth of what is going on in the world. I watch you cops ignore the law just to make an arrest. I watch what are called good cops help sweep the truth under the rug. I see cops texting and using your computer’s while driving (even though it is illegal). I also know the constitution. Which you cops don’t want people to know.
I watch you cops kill a innocent 12 year old boy. I watched you cops killed a man trying to buy a toy for his boy ( didn’t even let him get out of the store). Now I have watched you cops kill a woman and claim it was suicide. Anyone with half a brain could tell the garbage bag would have ripped before her full weight was applied to it.
Scott McElroy
July 25, 2015 at 4:08 PM
You can’t even argue with ignorance. You obviously hate Law Enforcement. Less than one percent of cops are bad. The other 99 percent would give their lives to save yours even knowing the way you feel towards them. I’m done with this debate.
Floki
July 26, 2015 at 5:19 AM
How is what I said ignorant. All those cops got away with unjustified homiced. I would never call a cop. I have a better chance with the criminals then you thugs in blue.
Floki
July 26, 2015 at 6:37 AM
There is a word for people like you “Gestapo”.
badcop sodomizer
July 22, 2015 at 2:12 PM
Finally, somebody with brains, most asses in this blog are subhumans bent over for their masters!
simplynotred
July 22, 2015 at 2:41 PM
You have brains as well, just don’t get so upset about those who have a limited view of reality. They were trained that way, unfortunately!
Alun Evans
July 22, 2015 at 10:46 AM
That cop was obviously having a bad day , or maybe he was trying to quit smoking himself , either way he went WAY to far, that kind of treatment to an unarmed female motorist who alledgedly commited a minor traffic violation is way over the top
mike
July 22, 2015 at 1:38 PM
guess you like smoke blown in your face as you try and talk. i talk to a lot of smokers and it can be a bothersome but the thing you guys are looking for is a lawsuit.if he is found to have done something wrong i agree with bring him to justice i just don’t see it, like the other guy said she brought this .to herself by being rude he seem under control until her fighting him all the way this is more about how she reacted everyone wants respect and she shown hated you get what you give you want nice people you be nice
Amber
July 22, 2015 at 10:49 AM
I don’t know anyone who at some time or another has not been stopped by the police. They are usually polite and tell you why they are stopping you. They are doing their jobs. We do not have to go to battle with them for this – they will either give you a ticket or a warning. You do not have to attack them or get angry with them. I repeat – they are simply doing their jobs. How would you like it if in the course of doing your job, someone starts calling you names and gets angry with you?
Robert Barnes
July 22, 2015 at 10:52 AM
A stop for a lane change. BS it was a stop for money (a bogus ticket) And then they kill her. If this cop and others involved end up dead, they had it coming.
badcop sodomizer
July 22, 2015 at 2:17 PM
Got it right bro!
Antonio
July 27, 2015 at 3:06 PM
A stop for a lane change that is completely justified the law says use your turn signal you don’t you get pulled over.
Wayne Bellew
July 22, 2015 at 11:03 AM
You can clearly hear and see cop is trying to provoke her , just like stop before on dash camera. You can hear him asking is everything ok, are you ok. That is the way they make there probable cause, saying you were over excited and acting strange. She’s in cuffs and pushing her were he wants her to go ,then does standard cop move stop resisting, stop resisting. And then slams her down off camera. Then gets other cop to confirm the lie on camera. Same shit everyday..go to any police station look in parking lot of cops car and you will see cars with tinted windows and other violations, follow them to the bar and they all come out drunk.
Donald McIntosh
July 22, 2015 at 3:44 PM
You know it.
amazed108
July 22, 2015 at 11:04 AM
Seems like the cigarette set him off. I’ve heard those were bad for your health.
Donald McIntosh
July 22, 2015 at 3:41 PM
Yeah, cigarette killed her.
Rodney Steward
July 22, 2015 at 11:05 AM
Of course it was wrong, she was black! When U burn down towns, over the death’s of drug dealing thugs, how else is it gonna be taken. She was clearly, resisting, and running that mouth, as they usually do, when it comes to cops. So, of course, the DOB is being called in to investigate. Then, there will be the bused in thugs, by the highly educated al-Sharpton. I’m sure there will be a lot of fun, either way it goes!
Donald McIntosh
July 22, 2015 at 3:41 PM
Nothing with color… just an asshole cop with a chip on his shoulder… boy did he show her. Bet hes respected now.
jerome
July 22, 2015 at 11:05 AM
I am not a lawyer (thankfully), but what exactly did she do that permitted him to remove her from her car? I’m not sure i would have gotten out either and i’m a middle aged white guy.
Rodney Steward
July 22, 2015 at 11:10 AM
Why with all the trouble, with the cops, and blacks, would he start anything. Knowing, that it would lead to trouble. U can hear he saying things, I don’t know what it was, or what triggered it. We always see one side, and on camera TOO. There’s gotta more to it!
Donald McIntosh
July 22, 2015 at 3:40 PM
You see the one side they let you see. The worst has been edited.
Scott McElroy
July 22, 2015 at 12:35 PM
When you are pulled over for a traffic violation you are detained. The Officer has the right to keep you from smoking, talking on your phone, exiting your vehicle, keeping your hands in plain view, etc. A person can argue with an Officer all they want but if they refuse direct commands while being detained they can be arrested for obstruction. If an Officer has you pulled over and asks you to exit your vehicle you would be wise to do so. If you don’t you will go to jail and it will be all your own fault. This Officer was courteous upon approach. She escalated the situation by refusing a direct order.
Donald McIntosh
July 22, 2015 at 3:38 PM
Yeah you should always do what the nice officer tells you because he is all powerful. Sorry but America was formed by people who did not want to be controlled and owned by the government. Now cops have the right to take our rights away. Give it a try with me. I dare you.
wonduh
July 22, 2015 at 11:08 AM
Grandma never uses turn signals to change lanes. What a stupid reason to stop anyone. Watch the cops when they change lanes and betcha’ they don’t signal either. This was stupidity and now a woman is dead? Pitiful results.
Scott McElroy
July 22, 2015 at 12:52 PM
It is only stupid because it has not directly effected you. People have died due to motorists not signaling. There is a reason it is required. As stupid as it may sound, you would change your tune if you were directly effected by it. Citizens do not have the choice to decide which traffic laws are stupid. Driving is a privilege not a right!! Obey all the traffic laws or stay off the road. Disobey the traffic laws and get a ticket. Refuse a direct order from a Police Officer while detained, go to jail.
Antonio
July 27, 2015 at 3:50 PM
Words of wisdom!! I’m glad their are other rational people commenting on here
wonduh
July 29, 2015 at 2:35 PM
I will match my driving record against yours any day. Incidentally, Grandma said one should not say not nice things about people who rant for no reason.
NOUNBELIEVER
July 22, 2015 at 11:18 AM
let us review.. normally, you would expect a warning from the officer , thank him, and go your way while the officer continues his patrol for dangerous situations…..she did not signal a lane change….she was irritated…she was smoking….officer did not like that she was irritated…he became irritated..she was smoking….officer told her to put out the cigarette…uder what authority or reason ? she continued to be iritated…he became more strident…net result officer is threatening to drag her from her car after demanding she get out of her car. next comes the officer’s threatening words… ” light you up ” why all this violence ? why is the officer so aggressive and demanding…is he angry ? why ? who turned him into such rage machine ? an a witten description from tdhe officer about incidents which are not on the video….I lean to heavy questioning of ” authority ” any time violence is the result of traffic stops….now she is dead….a plastic bag used to hang her in her cell ? where did she get the plastic bag ? searched ? shoes taken belts taken, ties and scarfs taken, pockets emptied, wallets and pursues taken….WHERE DID SHE GET THE PLASTIC BAG ?
simplynotred
July 22, 2015 at 11:29 AM
Yeah – not using a turn signal? Then Death?
2Bn/22Infantry
July 22, 2015 at 1:12 PM
If you had read other reports than this one it says there was one in the trash can in the cell.
NOUNBELIEVER
July 22, 2015 at 1:54 PM
my access is via public library….feel better…now, jail watch…how did the bag get from the can to her cell….did she have free run from her cell to the toilet area ? Not familiar with jails…thought all was contained and controlled by jail watch
Donald McIntosh
July 22, 2015 at 3:34 PM
They dont put plastic bags in cell trash cans.
Veritas100
July 22, 2015 at 2:14 PM
sometimes people that are DUI will place something in their mouths to deflect the alcohol beverage smell – perhaps seasoned officer suspected this but then things escalated too quickly
Donald McIntosh
July 22, 2015 at 3:08 PM
They give out plastic bags left and right in jail. It cuts down on the number of inmates. Actually she should have been thoroughly searched and put into a jump suit. You dont just get a bag. She was murdered… plain and simple… if not the cop then someone that bully cop paid.
Mike K.
July 22, 2015 at 11:24 AM
Some cops just think they are above the law, I know of no law that says you cannot argue with a cop, maybe he needs to grow a set of shoulders, so he can handle his job in the proper manner, Police where I live do not act like that. Period…
M S
July 22, 2015 at 11:33 AM
The place to argue is in the court, never the street.
Donald McIntosh
July 22, 2015 at 3:05 PM
Yeah, she should have hired a crooked attorney to charge her a ridiculous amount of money, to defend her against crooked, bully cops, in front of a all powerful judge that has no concept of justice. You may be ignorant enough to trust our legal system. I am not.
2Bn/22Infantry
July 22, 2015 at 1:10 PM
Actually there are…
Reynolds Cushman
July 22, 2015 at 11:29 AM
First off, I love where this occurred. I know of the DPS officer, and I know the Sheriff and the DA.
Nothing will be swept under the rug. If there is evidence of wrong doing from the forensic evidence surrounding her death, that will come to light and the person(s) responsible will be held accountable.
The video of the traffic stop: bland was being uncooperative and became belligerent. Not a good idea. She ran her mouth about what she thought. But there is a big difference between running your mouth and failing to obey a lawful order from a police officer. Aggravating a situation by antagonizing a cop is just, well, stupid.
The other point is that these are separate and distinct law enforcement agencies. The Trooper with the Department of Public Service made the arrest. He transferred her into the county jail, run by the Sheriff’s office. I beat the drum on us praying for Braeden’s future. From John 9:
“We know that God does not hear sinners; but if anyone is God-fearing and does His will, He hears him.”
John 9:31 NASB
http://bible.com/100/jhn.9.31.nasb
So it is up to us, as believers, to make our petitions to God for and on behalf Braeden. Neither Rachel or Zach can!
Thursday is so important. It could be the beginning of an entirely new life for all three of them. We want that, believe it best for all three, and should earnestly make supplication for this outcome!
Jailers don’t hang out with Troopers and wouldn’t even know the details of the arrest. There job is to manage the prisoners and wouldn’t care if she had bad blood with the DPS officer, or him with her. There is no transference from the arresting officer and the jailers.
Observing the woman’s online testimonial, her attitude becomes apparent. She brought that attitude into the routine traffic stop. She refused to cooperate, refused to obey an order until he threatened to “light her up.” She could have easily avoided arrest. But her poor choices ended up getting her arrested. The point here is, during a routine traffic stop, obey the officer’s instructions. Becoming belligerent has consequences.
The most likely scenario is she had chance to reflect on her actions, saw that the charges would stick, that she might lose her job at PVAMU because of it, and she spiraled downward. And she made another bad choice, and committed suicide. The video tape of the jail clearly shows no one entered her cell. She took her own life. And that is a tragic decision. But it did more than just end her life, she drew into question the motives and actions of the jailers, and that is also a tragic sequence.
It doesn’t make ANY difference that she was Black. The arresting officer would have treated her the same out their on the street. And the jail would have treated her the same if she was white. Trying to gin this affair into a racial issue. It is not.
Brian Benton
July 22, 2015 at 11:45 AM
This is the problem. Police officers going way too far for stupid reasons. Failure to turn on a turn signal. Officers should never escalate to violence for something that should be dealt with by giving a friendly warning. No violence is warranted! She was right when she asked him to note what he was doing for a failure to turn on her signal. If he cannot do the job calmly then retrain him or fire him. This seems all too common. We need to learn to respect and value lives more than laws. The police should be retrained as peace officers.
Scott McElroy
July 22, 2015 at 12:20 PM
She is the one that escalated things. When you are pulled over for a traffic violation as minor as it may be, you are detained at that moment until the Officers investigation is over with. This could result in a warning or a citation but until that is determined you are still detained. Anything that you do or don’t do that delays or obstructs that investigation is an arrestable offence. This female was refusing commands while detained and she deserved to get arrested. Citizens are the ones that need to be retrained in respect for the law no matter how petty the reason they are pulled over for. If she would have been polite and obeyed the orders given to her, she probably would have been released with a warning and been on her way.
Donald McIntosh
July 22, 2015 at 3:15 PM
I would love for someone to teach me respect for the law, because I have none. I have never been in jail, but I have had cops attempt to bully me also. I have had cops lie to me multiple times. I also have friends that are cops. I can tell you that many if not most are bullies that love the power trip. I had one cop tell a girl in my presence to put out a cigarette once. I told him that he didnt have any authority to do so and that if he had said that to me I would have put it out on his forehead. I bench press 360lbs. He got the picture. I will aways be American. I will always stand up to those who bully and repress us.
Antonio
July 27, 2015 at 3:44 PM
You bench press 360. That is impressive!! You know you almost sound like a bully.
Bill L.
July 22, 2015 at 12:34 PM
If you bothered to read the article you would see that the officer was just going to give her a warning until she got belligerent and disrespectful. I wouldn’t doubt that as smartass as she was that she didn’t blow her nasty ass smoke in his face. She got just what she asked for. You don’t disobey a police officer’s direct order without some retribution.
Donald McIntosh
July 22, 2015 at 3:00 PM
If you had bothered to read the article he told her to put out her cigarette in her own car. She should have put it out in his face… then maybe he would be ok to kill her.
Antonio
July 27, 2015 at 3:43 PM
Man you are so out in left field with your views. I can tell you hate cops it’s obvious. But you really can’t defend this woman’s actions. He wasn’t even rude with her. He asked nicely and she was outright disprectful. She caused this incident to occur. And the said thing is it’s on the news because of her skin collor. If she was white the officer would have responded the same way and their would be no news story.
Donald McIntosh
July 22, 2015 at 2:59 PM
I agree. So many cops are out right bullies.
Jack G Simpson Jr
July 22, 2015 at 11:47 AM
obviously the officer in the video was wrong and had she not been arrested she would be alive today, maybe. Still, the arrest has very little to do with hat happened in the cell unless you are saying the cop in the video went to the jail and killed her.
Tim A
July 22, 2015 at 12:46 PM
Had she simply complied with the officer’s instructions (whether right or wrong) she would be alive today. And if she had a clear background most likely would have only received a warning. Too many people think they can get away with mouthing off & refusing to follow instructions, screaming “my rights, my rights…” & all it does is escalate them into jail or even worse, the morgue. I agree that being pulled over for failing to use your blinker when changing lanes is a stupid thing to pull someone over for but no matter what you’re stopped for or how stupid the reason, if you simply follow instructions (whether or not you think they’re constitutional) & respond with “yes sir/yes ma’am” & have no wants/warrants, you will 100% of the time leave the situation alive & well.
Jack G Simpson Jr
July 22, 2015 at 1:01 PM
One time, my girlfriend and I were traveling from her moms place in Missouri back to our house in Upstate NY. We were in Georgia I think. It was 2:30 AM. I was driving on a three lane highway. The lane I was in stopped so I moved over into the next lane without using my turn signal because there was absolutely no cars around. Of course, as soon as I did, blue lights started flashing in my rear view. Well I pulled over and both me and my girlfriend were looking at my window waiting for the cop to show up. Suddenly there was a tape at her window scaring the shit out of us both. When she rolled down her window the cop says “Had a flat lately?” My first instinct was to say “no why you want to give me one?” but instead I said yes the other day. He said he stopped me because my spare tire was hanging a little low under my van. I explained to him that the cable got jammed so it wouldn’t go all the way into the well. I also told him it was held onto the cable by a padlock. He asked me to show him so I got out. We walked behind the van and he saw what I had said was true. He then said “also sir you didn’t signal when you changed lanes.” Now I was tired and not in the mood for stupidity so I said “excuse me officer but,” pointing to the front of the van, “do you see any tail lights out there?” He said “no”. Then I said, pointing to the rear of the van, “other than your car do you see any other cars out there?” Again he said “no”. So I said “then who the fuck was I supposed to signal to that I was changing lanes?!” He looked at me and said “well sir I’m letting you off with a warning this time. Drive careful and get that cable fixed.” I said “yes sir.” I got into my van and drove off. I made sure I signaled to no one that I was moving back onto the highway. Had I been Black and had the officer been white, which he wasn’t, I might have just made the biggest mistake of my life. Then again, it was before Obama and his bunch started stirring up racial trouble in the country and the officer cut me more slack than I really deserved. Wonderful world huh?
Donald McIntosh
July 22, 2015 at 2:53 PM
That makes sense. I think you got it right. Racial crap is being stirred much more than it existed. I feel that the stirring may bring racism back again. People just need to stop that crap. The cop was a bully, she mouthed off, causing the cop to do things that he shouldnt have that required a clean up afterwards. I think he cleaned up alright.
Antonio
July 27, 2015 at 3:37 PM
The officer in your case was correct in stopping you and nice to let you off with a warning after speaking to him that way. The idea of who am I signaling too is insane. Do you know how many dumb people I’ve seen driving with their headlights off. Image that was the case for you that night. Not signaling is a minor offense and one that can could cause an accident. I say good to this officer for doing his job. Protecting you from a possible accident.
Jack G Simpson Jr
July 27, 2015 at 5:33 PM
I am sure the officer would have seen the car with no lights and had there been an accident the other driver would have also been cited unless we both died. And you are correct about how I spoke to him but his inane question about had I had a flat lately, coupled with him coming to the passenger side window with no warning at 2:30 AM and scaring the shit out of all of us in the car, kind of set the atmosphere.
Donald McIntosh
July 22, 2015 at 2:48 PM
Too many people have no back bone to stand up for their rights and become sheep and slaves to the system. Sorry I will be American until the day I die even if that means standing up to a bully cop and being murdered by him later.
Reynolds Cushman
July 22, 2015 at 11:53 AM
First off, I live where this occurred. I know of the DPS officer, and I have known the Sheriff and the DA for more than a decade. They are professionals. They are fair and have no racial bias of any kind. Nothing will be swept under the rug.
If there is evidence of wrong doing from the forensic evidence surrounding her death, that will come to light and the person(s) responsible will be held accountable.
The video of the traffic stop: Bland was being uncooperative and became belligerent. Not a good idea. She ran her mouth about what she thought. But there is a big difference between running your mouth and failing to obey a lawful order from a police officer. You may run your mouth, you may not disobey a police officer giving a legal command. Aggravating a situation by antagonizing a cop is just, well, stupid.
The other point is that these are separate and distinct law enforcement agencies. The Trooper with the Department of Public Service made the arrest. He transferred her into the county jail, run by the Sheriff’s office.
Jailers don’t hang out with Troopers and wouldn’t even know the details of the arrest. Their job is to manage the prisoners and they wouldn’t care if she had bad blood with the DPS officer, or him with her. There is no transference from the arresting officer to the jailers. That is myth.
Observing the woman’s online testimonial, her attitude becomes apparent. She brought that attitude into the routine traffic stop. She refused to cooperate, refused to obey an order until the officer threatened to “light her up.” She could have easily avoided arrest. But her poor choices ended up getting her arrested. The point here is, during a routine traffic stop, obey the officer’s instructions. Becoming belligerent has consequences.
The most likely scenario is, in the jail cell, she had chance to reflect on her actions, saw that the charges would stick, that she might lose her job at PVAMU because of it, and she spiraled downward. Then she made another bad choice, and committed suicide.
The video tape of the jail clearly shows no one entered her cell. She took her own life. And that is a tragic decision. But it did more than just end her life, she drew into question the motives and actions of the jailers, and that is also a tragic sequence.
Justice will be done here. This is not 1962 Selma. Nor is this 2015 Ferguson, MO. This prosecutor will find out what happened, and do so without prejudice for the SO nor prejudice against Bland. He’s just the guy you want on this job.
Scott McElroy
July 22, 2015 at 2:06 PM
Well said and you are correct on all counts!!
Perdido
July 22, 2015 at 4:31 PM
All except the part where the cop unlawfully engaged the lady without cause.
The authority that goes with that uniform has specific limits. Too few cops demonstrate the professionalism those limits impose.
KWMJR
July 22, 2015 at 6:51 PM
I have been stopped by police officers that have been totally professional and also by police officers that are blunt, and in that bluntness intend to trigger a response that allows them to entrap you . Now at that point you have to remain calm and polite, and obey every command, so as not to feed into an officers self righteous, superior attitude ! In this particular stop this officer had that blunt ,self righteousness,and superior attitude while the person being stopped had the SAME attitude . This made for a perfect storm and it did not end well for one of them . I think a thorough investigation needs to take place of every last thing from the start to the end ! Then let the chips fall where they may !
Steve124
July 22, 2015 at 11:11 PM
That Trooper was a REAL ASS for whatever reason. She didn’t have to put out her cigarette and get out of the car! It was a moving violation. Unless he said you’re under arrest, then she should of completely complied. I would of just done what he said and filed a complaint with numerous agency’s and get him in trouble. Cops get so upset when you say no to something ‘YOU CAN’ say no to. Just like if they ask if they can search your car and as your legal right you say ‘no’. They flip!
It’s so unprofessional. Get off the power trip. I know they put their lives on the line everyday, get paid a lot less then they should, and have to deal with mostly the worst of society. BUT, that doesn’t give them the right to take out frustrations or whatever else their dealing with on other people. And they choose that profession.
I’ve been pulled over probably 5-6 times in 40 years and I’m always respectful, regardless. For whatever reason Troopers always have been real jerks compared to county or city cops. Their like ahole robots. 1 wouldn’t even talk to me. For all you Troopers out there, I’m not saying ALL are like this, just my experience.
Rick
July 22, 2015 at 7:44 PM
Renalds Cushman if u watch that edited dash cam tell me why the wrecker driver made a circle twice from his vehicle an looked like he was a magician cause that car going by disappeared in one video but went by in second video!! Plus the shifty attudite an hostile voice didn’t REALLY show professional job. U just go-ahead an stick up for them cause when people are stoped for an infracture of which u and I see law inforcment also disobay what gives the law permission to go above the badge an demand something?? Its just showed what kind of a chicken shit officers are they hide behind the badge an think they are GOD by making up there own laws,rules an showed how much they are only getting back at whoever they want cause of the past of WHAT was done to them. Which showed how weak an chicken they REALLY are!!!!
I no ur not gonna like this but it sounds like u suck an hate blacks also
ctazcry
July 22, 2015 at 11:55 AM
she was arrogant and disrespectful…maybe she thought she was entitled to verbally abuse the officer.
she should have complied with the officers request, but instead had a real smart_ss attitude.
look like a glitch in the dash cam, an electrical short
Just another American
July 22, 2015 at 11:57 AM
I think everyone should be made to hold some position of authority in our communities and country to reap the wrath disrespect given by people today. People might then understand the balance of respect needed to support life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
Jerry Mark Brinkman
July 22, 2015 at 1:38 PM
Been there, done that! !!!!! AMEN…..
badcop sodomizer
July 22, 2015 at 2:16 PM
Fuck you pig!
James Baur
July 23, 2015 at 3:49 PM
Profanity is a sure sign of a limited vocabulary.
Freedom Is Not Free
July 24, 2015 at 1:34 PM
As well as limited intelligence.
Black Ops
July 22, 2015 at 12:10 PM
The officer was just doing his job; I work in corrections and have to deal with inmates who still think and act like that woman.
Perdido
July 22, 2015 at 4:28 PM
What he did does not come under his job description.
Nowhere is it proper to arrest, assault, taze anyone for lack of manners. NOWHERE in law is anyone allowed to arrest or assault without cause.
That dumb ass is about to get a very tough lesson in human decency.
used_to_be_a_liberal
July 22, 2015 at 7:23 PM
Sorry Black Ops, in this case this officer went well beyond doing his job. He over reached his authority when he took issue with her smoking. When she refused to put out her cigarette, while seated in her car, she was not under arrest. This cop didn’t like being told no, I don’t have too. The cop instigated this situation, then end result is the death of a young woman. He had to just cause to go after her in the first place, he escalated this event. Now the question[s] are, was she murdered. Why was she in jail for three days.
By the way, if she had been asked, or was told to step out of the car for questioning, and had a smoke in her hand at that time, the request or order to put out her smoke would have been valid. But not because he didn’t like the smell of smoke. He might not like the smell of baby pooh either, so does he order the baby be removed from the scene until he is finished.
S. Dudley
July 22, 2015 at 12:42 PM
I realize people can get very heated over this. I do believe that the officers were out of line(again) and the death I doubt seriously that (even though she is not a heavy woman) a trash bag would have held her long enough to kill her. I speak not only as a person who uses cheap trash bags not in trash can cause they TEAR to easily and as a person who has checked options for suicide I was able to tear the bag. You would start to fight even though you wanted to die. Of course I’m sure you all know you have to place the knot the right spot to break the neck and kill you instantly.
2Bn/22Infantry
July 22, 2015 at 1:04 PM
I seriously doubt they “MURDERED” her. She committed suicide pure and simple. I’m so tired of hearing that the cops murdered this black person or another. If she would have shut her mouth taken the ticket and then fought it in court the outcome would have been different. Instead of that her chosen course of actions dictated the officers action of arresting her.
Donald McIntosh
July 22, 2015 at 2:45 PM
It has nothing to do with her color, just his badge. Big tuff bully hung his ass out and wanted to clean up the mess before anyone noticed. Your right if she would have closed her mouth the bully wouldnt have arrested her and then killed her.
Mike K.
July 23, 2015 at 2:57 PM
You could clearly hear the woman state the fact the cop slammed her head into the ground,and the cop responding that he didn’t care. Basically admitting he done what she said. He sure did not deny it. She may have had a boot clot develop due to her head being slammed into the ground, then a jailer could have easily placed the bag over her head to make it look like a suicide, after she was found dead. How is a plastic bag going to hold the weight of a person, in order to hang her self ? This reeks of foul play.
Antonio
July 27, 2015 at 3:29 PM
That is a big conspiracy your talking about. Do you really think the officer gave a second thought to her after she was placed in jail. I can assure you she was not murdered. And definitely not for the altercation with the officer. I have been a correctional officer thing like you speak of just don’t happen.
Ibcamn
July 22, 2015 at 1:19 PM
illegal,everything this corrupt cop did,was criminal,everything he did,he should be in jail!!and the cops then murder her in her cell!that is messed up!
Scott McElroy
July 22, 2015 at 1:58 PM
I don’t know what law school you went to? Probably the same one Obama went to. Everything this Officer did was warranted!! It is unintelligent comments like this that leave our country vulnerable for hostile takeover. If the terrorist’s think we are as stupid as you sound, what’s stopping them!!
Ibcamn
July 22, 2015 at 3:20 PM
really think so???no way!!so my comments are going to be the downfall of all civilized world eh??hahahahaha,,,well,thanks for the credit,not just me but some others have contributed to it also!!!you have to be a copsucker liberals!you just have to be,to not see,that the officer is now being thin skinned and going to use his given authority(falsely although it be)and use force upon her where it is not warranted!period!!he started of the assualt,and even had the stupidity to touch her car,for no warranted reason,non what so ever!!he opened her door and used force and assaulted this woman,period!this cop was just being a racist POS corrupt cop that they all are!…so,put that in your pipe and smoke it!!GFY>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Antonio
July 27, 2015 at 3:25 PM
Please tell me you don’t believe the garbage you just spewed all over us. If you are told to step out of your car and you do not comply do you think the officer is just going to walk off? He’s not I can promise you he is going to drag your behind out of the car. The biggest problem I see here is a complete lack of respect for authority. I can’t believe how many people truly feel this woman was correct in her actions. I feel sorry for officers everywhere with this many disrespectful people in our country.
Ibcamn
July 27, 2015 at 6:12 PM
most people like you don’t want to see the truth.you just want it all to be the same,it’s not,and sheeple like you are gonna wake up too late!
and clearly,you know nothing about law[s],not a thing,and you have never had an encounter with corrupt cops,that is plain to see!you must be a liberal copsucker or a corrupt cop!maybe both!and when the cops murdered her and covered it up,that is a problem,they even may have taken her mugshot after she was killed!!it’s all up in the air now,the corrupt cops edited the video and altered evidence,felony’s for you and i,but not for cops!!hmm…and you just think cops walk on water!?!you are a useful-idiot for the liberals!spend some time reading up on law[s],you will learn something!..good day..!
Donald McIntosh
July 22, 2015 at 3:21 PM
This officer was a bully. He had no authority or right to demand that she put out her cigarette. It is true that if she had kept her mouth shut this wouldnt have happened. So forget freedom of speech right. Shut up and cower before your oppressors. Obama probably paid the corrupt legal system to pass him… I doubt that he could have made it on his own no matter what school he went to.
Antonio
July 27, 2015 at 3:20 PM
Well spoken!!
Jmanjo
July 22, 2015 at 1:47 PM
yes I guess you can say that failure to signal or illegal lane change is minor but it got her pulled over. From there if she had cooperated she would have been on her way. It didn’t happen. She got arrested for being belligerent, back talking, smoking in his face, contemptuous…got her in trouble.
Something happened to her in the jail, could have been depression, desperation, whatever ..and she hangs herself…maybe with the trash bag from a trash can…she had some history be it medical or mental. The problem is you need the authorities to complete an investigation to make sure no one abused the situation to bring harm to her or not. The authorities in this case do have this in mind as their professionalism and bias is at stake too. Would be proper in these times for the media not to fan the flames of violence by offering their two cents since they have no idea of what really happened than the rest of us! We don’t need the hate groups, we don’t need the polls or tallies of how many think this or that because they have nothing to do with the truth of what happened.
WE do need a good examination of the findings so we can get confidence that she had a fair shake in all that occurred. I personally have been stopped for tail lights out and once in California for slowly creeping up on a highway patrol car that was traveling BELOW the posted speed limit! However… I said yes sir and no sir even though I thought he was nuts.
Donald McIntosh
July 22, 2015 at 3:25 PM
She could not have gotten the bag without help for one. they should have caught her before she was dead for two. And lastly… no matter how annoying and childish it might be, since when it illegal to be belligerent, back talking, smoking in the face or contemptuous… if this were the case all people would have to be arrested… oh yeah I forgot that it is always unwise to be this way with a crooked bullying cop that demands your respect.
Jmanjo
July 22, 2015 at 4:02 PM
Common sense tells you to behave when pulled over by an officer…any officer. You pop off.. you just invited your own trouble…most parents don’t stand for that behavior either. So stop mewling over the details …if you had pulled someone over and they threw it back in your face you would have escalated too. Get real!
Antonio
July 27, 2015 at 3:19 PM
The problem is most parents don’t teach their children any respect these days. My parents would have beat me for acting as this woman did.
James Baur
July 22, 2015 at 2:58 PM
Everyone in their right mind knows that you must obey lawful orders given by law enforcement officers. If you fail to obey, the officer is automatically authorized to place you under arrest. Simple as that.
If you resist allowing yourself to be taken
into (ex: Rodney King), custody, efforts to do so will continue until you are in custody. Everyone knows this. Insofar as we could see the events on the video, the officer called for backup sand continued his efforts to extract this suspect from her vehicle. It is not unreasonable, given the audio, that the suspect continued to resist his attempt to place the suspect in handcuffs after having been extracted from her vehicle. At the police station, suspects are routinely placed in cells alone until they calm down or become cooperative. This is done for the protection of both the suspect and the officer(s) involved in the inprocessing protocols. What this suspect did after that is her own business, barring evidence of police misconduct.
Given recent events, this arrest further polarizes and inflames public opinions. Certain individuals, be they black, white, or otherwise, may use this event to justify any lawful/unlawful activities they care to do in order to impose their idea of what is necessary to provide a solution to this mess. This is how things can spin even further out of control. While the death of this suspect is extremely heartbreaking, we should never rush to judgment until all of the available evidence is known in order to make a fair and reasonable assessment of what actually occurred. Level heads must prevail until such time as these determinations can be made. In the meantime, everyone not actually involved in this incident needs to stand down, remain calm, and control themselves.
usarmylady
July 22, 2015 at 9:29 PM
Agree with James Baur. Officer did ask her to put out her cigarette. Her reply was she was in her own car. When asked to exit the vehicle she got upset. Maybe she would never have been asked to step out, had she put the cigarette out when asked. There are too many different angles to this as to which way it will go. As far as her death, too many cameras for a Correction Officer to have done it. I believe she took her own life.
Mike K.
July 23, 2015 at 2:47 PM
But, when is the public EVER given the WHOLE truth about something a cop done wrong ? There have been cover-ups since the day the first officer was ever sworn in. Cops cover for cops, always have and always will.
@DwDrew
July 22, 2015 at 3:00 PM
their job is not to muder a detained person an unarmed person . the trolls can go to hell now…
ADRoberts
July 22, 2015 at 3:28 PM
She had a warning coming. It was a lane change without a signal. Yet she became “BLACK” in her attitude and started to REFUSE to obey instructions. Then he resisted being cuffed.
SHE WAS AT FAULT.
As to what happened in jail. there is NO indication that anyone was with her when she died. She was known to be depressed and experience PTSD.
Once again There is NOTHING here.
Phil
July 22, 2015 at 3:33 PM
It basically boils down to: Do what the police tell you to do. Shut up, and comply, and nothing will happen. Do otherwise invites an action by the police for noncompliance.
Perdido
July 22, 2015 at 4:24 PM
I hope the family sues, because they should. He had no probable cause to do anything he did. Attitude is not against the law.
The officer, without justification, gave orders under the color of law, which carry no authority.
He should be removed from his position.
He should be jailed for his actions.
Wearing a uniform doesn’t give anyone carte blanche to give orders or disrupt the day and proceedings of any American. He had NO probable cause- what he had was a bruised ego.
That man does not have a place in law enforcement, he doesn’t understand the laws he is charged with upholding, much less enforcing.
Another sorry example of head-case cops.
Terrance Ross
July 22, 2015 at 6:07 PM
This is an obvious BS stop to see if something bigger can be developed..The trooper is blatantly baiting the lady into escalating. He invites her to engage him and then “under color of authority” removes her from her car after asking her to put out her cigarette…a request far beyond his authority. If his true reason for stopping her was the lane change without signal, he should have gone to the citation after ascertaining “no threat”…but the reason for the stop was to escalate it into whatever he could develop…perhaps a search for drugs, or to get her to “invite him to arrest her” which is what he did…this stop was bogus…the escalation was purposeful….the arrest is bogus…and the result tragic all because this trooper was searching for a reason to take some body to jail….he could have just written her a ticket….you can’t arrest someone for an infraction….but cops bait people into arguments and escalation all the time…people are upset when they get stopped and the cops know this and they use it against folks who may be less educated or perhaps think they are more educated about their rights and get “trapped” into responding just the way the cop wants so that he can be “justified” in yanking you out of your car….
Antonio
July 27, 2015 at 3:13 PM
So you see no problem with the woman’s attitude or lack of respect for an authority figure by lighting the cigarette in the first place. Or the fact she made the unsafe lane change in the first place. He was very polite until she was rude. You get what you give. She made the unsafe lane change and instead of admitting her fault and accepting the consequences she chose to argue with the officer thus she was the escalation.
Lynda
July 22, 2015 at 7:12 PM
The police officers actions were an over reaction for what he initially stopped her for, which many people make lane changes everyday without consequences. The girl should not have been arrested. Both over reacted but if he can’t handle the pressure perhaps he needs a vacation or resign. There were no grounds for arrest. The policeman should be suspended, at the least and maybe after further investigation fired.
TANSTAAFL
July 22, 2015 at 8:37 PM
1st, badcop sodomizers limited vocabulary suggests he probably rode the short bus to school. 2nd, all these libs want the cops to back off and not do their job just because someone is a racial minority. Then, when they do as has happened in Baltimore and the crime and murder rates go sky high, these same people throw their hands in the air and wail about the cops are not doing their job.
This persecution of the police has been a boon to every thug and criminal out there and they are capitalizing on it.
Donald McIntosh
July 22, 2015 at 10:32 PM
So what is a cops job? I thought it was to protect and serve, not to bully and command civilians.
Mike K.
July 23, 2015 at 2:40 PM
Exactly my thoughts.
Darrell Ballein
July 22, 2015 at 10:20 PM
hard to believe all of that over a not signaling a turn….some times it makes a person want to just say hhhmmmmmmm….I feel for both parties involved,its sad and a tragedy….hope there wasn’t any children involved…
Philip K. Eyrich
July 23, 2015 at 2:25 AM
Strangulation may have been the surface cause of death, but it seems possible that there may have been a blood clot which went unnoticed because there was no apparent reason for a medical exam regarding her wrist or back, and with her claim to epilepsy, who knows how that also might factor into this.
Officers should attempt to keep people in view of the cameras, and it may be wise to update to cameras with a near 180 degree view.
There was no need to rush, especially after backup is called.
Edited video is inexcusable, and we’ve seen what edited video can do, as in the case of MSNBC editing to present a false narrative in recent history.
James Baur
July 23, 2015 at 2:26 PM
I’m old Air Force, survived Sister Mary Godzilla in Catholic school, and thankful (what a concept these days) for the somewhat strict upbringing provided by my parents. It seems to me that kids now aren’t being raised with anything even vaguely resembling basic morals and the necessity to accept responsibility for their actions. They have been taught to always cast themselves as the victim. That way they, in their opinion, never have to “pay the piper” when the bill comes due. By 8 or 9yo they have become independent contractors, not subject to any restrictions; free to do as they please. These kinds of interactions are on the increase as parents continue to shirk their parental duties, and rely on others (school teachers, etc.) to do their job for them. When I was growing up, the scariest thing any adult could say to me was,”Hey kid!! How would you like it if I told your mom and dad about this?” The only reason I have full use of my arms and legs is because I never dared to say no to either of them. EVER!! I was raised to respect authority and to comply with their directions when told to do so. The death of the nuclear family, which is obvious to anyone who (not “that”) cares to look and understand, will be the death of America. Just look around honestly and tell me I’m not telling the truth. This woman decided to have her 5min of fame, to the detriment of us all, while providing a truly negative example for others. Let me get off the “bully pulpit” and continue to try to set a proper and positive example through my words, attitudes, and actions in my daily life. Simple
as that.
Antonio
July 27, 2015 at 3:06 PM
I agree 100%
Mike K.
July 23, 2015 at 2:27 PM
To me, telling a woman to put out her cigarette in her own vehicle on a public roadway, is total BS, and probably offended his delicate nasal passages, is the only reason he said it. But to me, this is what escalated the whole issue. He had no right to order her to put out her cigarette over a moving violation, for God’s sake, it’s only a misdemeanor charge. The most he should have done was write a ticket and been on his way. Apparently this man had a bad day, for whatever reason he took it out on this woman, who probably had a bad day herself. The cop being a professional should have been the one trying to de-escalate the issue, instead of provoking it further. Remember one thing, their JOB as a officer of the law is to PROTECT and SERVE, not intimidate and harass.
Donald McIntosh
July 23, 2015 at 7:43 PM
Exactly. Protect and Serve, not command, bully, and harass. I wonder when was the last time that officer served anyone… except papers. He is used to commanding everyone by fear. If that woman had been a loved one of mine… that cop would disappear…. alien abduction I am sure.
slstanley1
July 25, 2015 at 12:35 AM
The officer was polite to Ms. Bland, including his courteous request that she put out her cigarette. Her response was hostile, arrogant, and ugly At that point, the situation began to escalate. I am allergic to cigarette smoke – besides being smelly, it gives me pneumonia – so I can completely empathize with the officer’s request that she extinguish the cigarette. If she had acquiesced to the request, she probably would have gotten off with a warning and gone merrily on her way.