Brian Encinia, the Texas Public Safety Trooper that arrested Sandra Bland and was responsible for putting her in the jail cell where she died, was indicted by a grand jury yesterday for perjury.
Encinia claimed in his report that Bland had assaulted him by swinging her elbows and kicking him. He also claims that he pulled Bland out of her car in order to continue the investigation. But according to video footage, Encinia tried to pull Bland out of the car after she refused to put out her cigarette. A scuffle followed with Bland being heard saying “you knocked my head in the ground and I go epilepsy.” Encinia responded with “Good.”
The charge, a misdemeanor, carries a maximum penalty of a year in jail and a $4,000 fine.
The Texas Department of Public Safety began termination proceedings for Encinia after the indictment.
BREAKING: Trooper Encinia will be fired by Texas Department of Public Safety after grand jury indictment. pic.twitter.com/oghzyPaEhX
— collier meyerson (@collier) January 7, 2016
A Texas grand jury decided last month not to bring any indictments related to the death of Sandra Bland.
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