Anonymous releases video

Apparently, the hacktivist group, Anonymous spoke out about the July 10^th arrest and subsequent death of Sandra Bland.

“Sandra Bland was murdered by the same people who swore to serve and protect the citizens of the United States. These men have no honor and we cannot …trust their so-called evidence.”

They then gave evidence for their assertions in a numbered breakdown: The Waller PD murdered Sandra Bland, doctored the evidence, and took the mugshot after her death.

These assertions aren’t holding up well to scrutiny, but criticism is weak and doesn’t usually confront their support in a direct and substantive way.

And there are some important implications to consider. Primarily, even if she wasn’t murdered, the Waller county PD is responsible for her death and is guilty of that and numerous examples of gross incompetence and evidence tampering.

What follows is some summary of their accusations and evidence with some response.

Waller county jail does not put their detainees into orange jumpsuits until three days after. The evidence is apparently in the abundance of mug shots available at their website where all detainees are wearing street clothes.

She was dead when the mug shot was taken. Her hair is pointing back instead of down. Her lips to appear to have a drawn back look. Orientation is back instead of down.Her shoulders aren’t rounded and hanging down. Her face droops lower on one side than the other, and bruise marks on her neck.

There are several mug shots on their website of detainees dressed in orange uniforms. The might not support their particular accusations, but it DOES point to inconsistency in their procedures.

It appears her arms are splayed out and not at her sides. Like she was lifted by her arms and moved into a position and dropped to hang out to the side. The idea that she is dead in the picture is a provocative one. Even if it did prove to be true, though, that’s no evidence that she was murdered. It is, of course, further evidence of incompetence and dishonesty.

According to experts questions by The Daily Beast, there is no evidence that Bland is dead in her mug shot.

Dr. Adel Shaker, a 30-year forensic pathologist said, “There’s nothing in the photo to indicate she’s dead. Period.”

John Hiserodt, a doctor who says he has performed over 4,000 autopsies, says, “There’s no way I could tell from that mug shot. From just looking at a photo, there are no signs. Unless it is of marked, advanced decomposition—then an elementary student could tell. Not only a forensic pathologist—a layman could tell.”

While this deflates the conspiracy on the surface, it’s annoying that this in no way confronts the Anonymous accusations.

All documents have been deemed unreliable, have been edited or altered. Including the dashcam footage

There is heavy suspicion that all documents have been doctored. The dash cam video shows jumps in the footage; cars appear and disappear. However video was released that does not have the skips and loops that don’t include any new, more incriminating footage.

That said, have you watched the dashcam footage, yet? Office Encinia rejects every opportunity to de-escalate the situation and instead attempts to force Sandra Bland to acquiesce to his authority.

When she declines to put out her cigarette, he tells her to get out of her car. He has no legal justification to do so. He has identified and never did justify any belief that his actions were for both of their safety. His voice trembles as he radios for back-up; he is clearly more emotional than he is professional.

Anonymous also claims that the paperwork has been doctored. Different documents do show different answers to the same questions. There is no way to prove when the documents were filled out or whether Bland filled them out or, if she did, what condition she was in when she did so.

First the Waller PD said she had taken marijuana before arrest, and then when the timeline didn’t match up, said she had ingested the marijuana while in custody.

Yet more inconsistency.

This is not the first time we’ve seen this. We see this with every example of police over-reach or killing. After the shooting of Mike Brown, the Ferguson PD released footage of him in a convenience store–even though that had nothing to do with the police stop and the federal government urged Ferguson PD not to release it for that reason and because it threatened to make the situation more volatile. That footage eventually made the Ferguson PD look even worse, but not before weeks of that footage playing a constant loop in media, like Fox news.

DeWayne Charleston, a former Waller County judge, blasted the police for what he called “character assassination” in a CNN interview.

He also spoke about endemic racism in the area. “…from the cradle to the grave there’s racism here,” he said of an area that still has segregated cemeteries.

CNN DeWayne Charleston interview

CNN reported they said a cell-mate reported there was no struggle or screaming. Why did CNN not ask about marijuana smell?

The idea that a nearly six-foot-tall woman hanged herself with a plastic garbage bag is one of the most credulity-straining assertions about this whole story, including all of Anonymous’ accusations. She is so high that she hangs herself and doesn’t struggle, gasp, or cause any noise as the frame strains against her weight?

While the accusations presented by Anonymous are not conclusive, very little of the counterarguments is any more conclusive itself. Even if this is not a case of murder or conspiracy to murder, the Waller County Police department is arguable responsible for her death. Through incompetence.

If this was as suicide it was preceded by an emotionally traumatic traffic stop and three days in jail, held by a department headed by a man with a history of racist action. If she was under the effects of marijuana, it escaped detection. It wasn’t found on her and it wasn’t observed in her jail cell.

After presenting their evidence, Anonymous presented a warning and a call to action.

The Anonymous collective is enraged at the failed attempt by Waller County PD and the Texas Trooper Association to mask a blatant act of crime against an innocent woman. And we will not stand as Sandra’s death becomes another hashtag and then a statistic.

We, Anonymous, are calling on the citizens of the United States to commit to a day of rage for Sandra Bland and all who have been murdered at the hands of ruthless law enforcement officials who know no honor. Cities around the United States will rise up in unison and call for Sandra Bland’s justice.

We, not as Anonymous but as citizens of the United States, are tired of the cycle of murders and coverups made by police departments across the nation. We demand that each police chief at each protesting city to come out to the crowds and renew their pledge to protect the people they serve.

We also demand the immediate arrest of Brian Encinia and the resignation of both Waller County’s District Attorney and the Waller County’s Sheriff.

If you do not take Brian Encinia into custody, we will come after all of you. All your secrets will be leaked. You will all be vulnerable. We all know where you live.

This is for Sandra Bland. No mercy for murderers.

Above is a Fox news video interview with a police officer’s perspective of the event. It points out that Sandra Bland appears to have run a stop sign, and that is that apparent reason for his pursuit. The video also shows that she changed lanes as he approached.

Apparently, an individual can go to jail in Texas for failing to signal, but NOT for an open container of alcohol.

Also, the video validates ideas that the officer violated protocol many times, and the expert says clearly that Encinio escalated the situation because of perceived threat to his authority.

Does this need to be about murder for it to be important enough for us to act?

Thank you, Anonymous. Your accusations might be far from air tight, but your call to action is desperately needed.

Let’s end this with a look at the sort of person Sandra Bland tried to be in this video where she frankly discussion depression and offers viewers some very positive words of encouragement.