'Let's Stop Criminalizing the Victim:' Sandra Bland's Mom

Screenshot courtesy of YouTube

CHICAGO, IL — The mother of Sandra Bland addressed the Chicago Police Board Thursday evening to talk about the lack of answers she’s received in the Texas death of her daughter.

“I have been a part of a journey that is not a fun one for the last six months. What you all see here, this is pain,” Geneva Reed-Veal said, pointing to the crowd of supporters in the audience.

The Chicago Police Board is an independent civilian body that oversees certain activities of the Chicago Police Department, according to the Board’s website.

Reed-Veal said that despite police telling citizens to ask questions, she’s not seeing anyone write down what they’re asking.

“If you are not writing down the questions, how can you remember what I’m saying,” she said in a YouTube video of her appearance at the meeting.

Bland’s mother is just one of several people who have had to wait for answers regarding the circumstances in which their family members have died by the hands of the police.

Sandra Bland died while in custody following a July 10 traffic stop. She was found dead three days later in her jail cell. While the medical examiner claims it was a suicide, Bland’s mother believes it was not.

The arresting officer of Bland, Trooper Brian Encinia, was charged with perjury following an indictment that claims he lied about why he had pulled Bland from her car. However, Bland’s mother said she is still waiting for definitive answers.

“We’re asked to wait for years, months, while your people are allowed to do all of what they want to do. They’re on administrative leave. Our people aren’t on administrative leave,” she said. “They’re gone.”

Reed-Veal stated that “while these folks are executing our people, let’s stop criminalizing the victim,” adding that they’re thrown under the bus and the “secret background” of the cop has got to be pulled out.

“I just say, if you talk about keeping the peace in the community, keeping the peace in the neighborhood, you have to understand that there can be no peace if we can’t even get pieces of information that we need to find out what happened to our family members,” she said.

She ended her speech with a warning to the board.

“You will see me. This was my first meeting but it will not be my last.”