TX - Sandra Bland, 28, found dead in jail cell, Waller County, 13 July 2015 #2

[Deleted member 39678]

He wanted her to exit her car so that she could sign the ticket or warning and he could explain it to her....Many have weighed in on this earlier today. It is NOT necessary to exit your car to sign, or receive a verbal explanation about what you are signing. In my 68 years, and a few tickets, I have NEVER been ordered to exit my car. JMO. Of course, it is unpleasant, but no officer that I can recall was intimidating. If they had been, I know myself well enough to know that they would have gotten an earful. JMO

I agree that there is no justfication for an officer to ask a driver to exit their car for the sole reason to sign a ticket/warning.

I'd like to know if the officer had another reason to ask Sandra to exit her car. JMO

 

[cady]

What about unsubstantiated (i.e. no links) claims of police misconduct not related to this case being posted on this thread?

In other words, can members claim personal knowledge about police misconduct and say that since they had a bad experience (or a friend) with police then all police act in the same way?

What about documented examples of police misconduct. Can that be used to say that all police act a certain way?

Thanks

I guess the solution to that would be to not post personal anecdotes, since we really can't link to ourselves, lol. I am guilty of that, mea culpa, and so, in my humble opinion, is everyone else. JMO

 

[bluesneakers]

I guess the solution to that would be to not post personal anecdotes, since we really can't link to ourselves, lol. I am guilty of that, mea culpa, and so, in my humble opinion, is everyone else. JMO

It's one of the things I like about this site. Personal insight and experience. We all have so much to share and we can learn from each other.

 

[BellaVita]

No, it doesn't. It just makes us look like a bunch of bloodthirsty savages. Just read any the recent news articles about that theater shooting in any foreign media and see what the comments look like. Nobody outside of the US thinks that people killing each other makes a country great. Meanwhile their husbands are perfectly safe, and don't need to carry any gun, because they are living in a safe country free of gun violence.

Quote Originally Posted by BellaVita View Post

BBM: Guns are what makes America great. My husband's life was saved because of his concealed carry handgun. The people who attacked him were not armed with a gun. It did not end well for them.

Please read my comment again. The men who attacked my husband were not armed with a gun. There were two of them and one of him. It was not a bar fight or a drug deal gone bad. He was in the course of legal employment and carrying out his duties when he was attacked by two, am I allowed to say, TH***, who proceeded to begin beating him for the money he was carrying. I care zero what anybody in any other country thinks about the fact that my husband was carrying a handgun that saved his life. So, no, my husband wasn't "perfectly safe" despite the fact that his assailants did not have a gun. He was beaten to within an inch of his life before pulling out his gun. So, yeah, to me, the fact that my husband was living in The Free State of Texas at the time and was able to save his own life by use of a gun, that makes this country great to me. It did not end well for the men that tried to kill him and I remain ever thankful for that.

 

[katydid23]

Until it's them or someone they love...

MO ~

EXACTLY my point.

 

[Tricia]

Let's all agree that there are good cops and bad cops.

Let's all agree that some people have more positive experiences with cops while others have more negative experiences with cops.

Let's now turn our attention to the case of Sandra Bland.

I'm not trying to be flippant or trying to dismiss your experiences. It's just on this thread we have to keep on topic.

Letting one person explain an experience means we have to let every single person who wants to tell their experience do so on this thread.

Where does that leave Sandra Bland? She totally disappears and the thread is now something totally different.

Thank you for understanding.
Tricia

PS. I have to make dinner for my friend. Please don't let me come back here and find 37 posts that need to be removed OK? Thank you .

 

[kimlynn]

I agree that there is no justfication for an officer to ask a driver to exit their car for the sole reason to sign a ticket/warning.

I'd like to know if the officer had another reason to ask Sandra to exit her car. JMO

During the call in after the arrest he said his reason was to have her sign the ticket and so he could explain what was going on. Much later in the call closer to the end of the conversation,he mumbled something about his being in the middle of the road,which wasn't true.IMO
ETA...the first pull over with the other driver,he gave her the warning/ticket while she was in her car.

 

[pepelepolecat]

I don't believe it is police culture. I think it is partially the intense stress that comes from the job, and the cynicism that comes from interacting with the dregs of our society on a continuos basis, day after day. Cops have a high divorce rate and a high suicide rate. That is what comes from the job. it is not from their training, it is from their daily work experiences, imo. They see and experience tragedy and hopelessness every day. Then they are supposed to compartmentalize it to protect their mental health. That only works for so long. Then the stress factor multiplies. And that is why cops are sympathetic when they see other cops lose their cool during a stop. Because they know it can happen to any of them and it does not mean they are 'bad'--IMO

A bad choice does not a bad person make. But when one reaches that point, there should be an outlet -- a safe way to get out from under the stress without putting anyone else at risk. For this reason, I'd fully support paid sabbaticals for LEOS: because the stress really can be overwhelming and periodic breaks can help them de-stress and refocus.

That said and to keep it on topic, if someone is already burned out and behaving badly after a year on the job, this job may just not be for him.

 

[Deleted member 39678]

During the call in after the arrest he said his reason was to have her sign the ticket and so he could explain what was going on. Much later in the call closer to the end of the conversation,he mumbled something about his being in the middle of the road,which wasn't true.IMO

Well, it just not right to ask someone to exit their car just to sign a ticket.

I do understand him not wanting to be in the roadway but move to the sidewalk. That makes sense. JMO

 

[PrimeSuspect]

I agree that there is no justfication for an officer to ask a driver to exit their car for the sole reason to sign a ticket/warning.

I'd like to know if the officer had another reason to ask Sandra to exit her car. JMO

Do you think in time he will come up with one?

 

[BellaVita]

SBBM

Yes because, unlike family and friends, jail and prison intake staff routinely receive specialized training in mental health. Perhaps for some mentally unstable people, being pleasant and complying just isn't as simple as a choice?

If family hasn't figured it out in 26 years, how are correctional personnel supposed to know. I get that they have some training but there are so many drama queens in jail and also trying to bring lawsuits against the system. SB's family will more than likely try to make money from her death. Instead of being intellectually and factually honest about her personality and mental state, they are saying she would never try to kill herself. They know it's not true, IMO. But they will seek the blood money they hope is coming.

 

[kimlynn]

Do you think in time he will come up with one?

He already did. On the incident report it was changed to safety reasons. IMO

 

[katydid23]

Do you think in time he will come up with one?

I am pretty sure that he has already gone on record with the top brass, with his union rep by his side, and had to answer all of those questions, under oath. JMO

 

[kimlynn]

Well, it just not right to ask someone to exit their car just to sign a ticket.

I do understand him not wanting to be in the roadway but move to the sidewalk. That makes sense. JMO

Traffic was pretty far away from where he was standing. SB was pulled over to the curb with one large lane between BE and traffic.
The previous driver stayed in her car to get her ticket/warning.

 

[katydid23]

He already did. On the incident report it was changed to safety reasons. IMO

how does that mean he 'changed' it? Didnt he say into the radio that he wanted to get out of the street to discuss the paperwork with her?

 

[bluesneakers]

A bad choice does not a bad person make. But when one reaches that point, there should be an outlet -- a safe way to get out from under the stress without putting anyone else at risk. For this reason, I'd fully support paid sabbaticals for LEOS: because the stress really can be overwhelming and periodic breaks can help them de-stress and refocus.

That said and to keep it on topic, if someone is already burned out and behaving badly after a year on the job, this job may just not be for him.

That's something.

 

[katydid23]

Traffic was pretty far away from where he was standing. SB was pulled over to the curb with one large lane between BE and traffic.
The previous driver stayed in her car to get her ticket/warning.

The first driver was allowing things to move along pretty quickly. He met no resistance.

Plenty of cops have been hit standing right where he was standing, alongside moving traffic. Maybe once he realized she was going to be resistant and argumentative, he wanted to move out of the roadway.

 

[kimlynn]

how does that mean he 'changed' it? Didnt he say into the radio that he wanted to get out of the street to discuss the paperwork with her?

I listened again last night to that portion of the tape. His exact words were that he wanted her out of the car so he could give her the ticket and explain what was going on.
He did later say/mumble that he was in the middle of the street....which wasn't true.

 

[kimlynn]

The first driver was allowing things to move along pretty quickly. He met no resistance.

Plenty of cops have been hit standing right where he was standing, alongside moving traffic. Maybe once he realized she was going to be resistant and argumentative, he wanted to move out of the roadway.

I understand that police have been injured by other vehicles during traffic stops. I'm going by what BE said were his reasons for wanting her out of her car.

 

[Deleted member 39678]

Do you think in time he will come up with one?

If it wasn't in writing(or on tape) early on then it wont matter if he claims something else now. JMO