O’Rourke, Castro call for Sandra Bland case to be reopened

Presidential candidates Beto O’Rourke and Julián Castro, both of whom are from Texas, called for the reopening of investigations into Sandra Bland’s arrest and death following new footage of her arrest that was uncovered this week. 

“Immediately re-open the investigation into Sandra Bland’s arrest and death,” tweeted O’Rourke, who formerly served as a Democratic congressman representing Texas. “There must be full accountability and justice.” 

Immediately re-open the investigation into Sandra Bland’s arrest and death. There must be full accountability and justice. https://t.co/IMMo4u0fQe

— Beto O’Rourke (@BetoORourke) May 7, 2019 

Castro, a former Housing and Urban Development secretary, said that the video proves that Texas Department of Public Safety Officer Brian Encinia, who can be seen in the footage pointing his taser at Bland during a traffic stop, lied to investigators about the case.

The recently released video Sandra Bland took of her own arrest provides the latest example of a police justification for the death of an unarmed black person being revealed as a flat out lie. https://t.co/oQu84fJaar

— Julián Castro (@JulianCastro) May 7, 2019

This video is compelling proof that Trooper Encinia lied, that Sandra Bland posed no threat, and that there was no basis for her arrest. This case should be reopened and justice should finally be served.

— Julián Castro (@JulianCastro) May 7, 2019  

Bland was arrested after a traffic stop in 2015 and later died in jail. Her death was ruled a suicide. Dallas TV station WFAA published footage Monday of a newly unearthed video that Bland herself recorded of the traffic stop incident. In the video, Bland is in her car when Encinia said “I will light you up” while aiming his stun gun at her. 

Encinia told investigators that he thought his “safety was in jeopardy at more than one time” during the altercation. He was charged with perjury related to the incident, but the charges were dropped in 2017. 

Castro and O’Rourke are among more than 20 people competing for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination.