A fired Texas trooper who arrested the black woman, identified as Sandra Bland, who was later found dead in Waller County jail, has pleaded not guilty to perjury. Bland's death was ruled as a suicide.
In a report by USA Today, the former trooper, identified as Brian Encinia, has been charged with misdemeanor perjury for saying in an affidavit that he removed the 29-year-old woman from her car on July 10 noting that she was combative. He added that the woman failed to signal a lane change and he needed Bland out of her car so he could conduct a traffic investigation. However, the traffic stop escalated and there was a struggle before Bland was taken in for assaulting a public servant.
Bland spent time behind bars all weekend during that time and was found dead three days after being arrested. She was found hanged in her jail cell and no one has been indicted in connection with her death. Her arrest, which was captured on the officer's dashcam video, has been released prompting her family to file a wrongful death lawsuit.
In the video, The Wall Street Journal reported that Encinia drew his stun gun and told Bland that he will light her up. She was later heard off-camera screaming that he is about to break her wrists and complained about being knocked to the ground and that her head hit the floor.
Encinia has not spoken publicly about the death of Bland but he has since received threatening calls and letters, Virgin Islands Daily News reported. His attorney, Larkin Eakin Jr., said in a statement that the death threat level of his client is high that is why the former trooper is always concerned about appearing in public.
If Encinia is convicted of the misdemeanor perjury charge, he could face up to a year in jail and will be required to pay a $4,000 fine. However, Eakin said that the attorney had grounds to stop Bland and did not lie about his statements. Encinia was formally fired just this month as the Texas Department of Public Safety Director Steve McCraw said that the traffic stop by the officer violated department standards.
Encinia is set to have his court hearing this May 17.
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