Trooper Who Arrested Sandra Bland Pleads Not Guilty to Perjury Charge

The Texas trooper who arrested former Naperville resident Sandra Bland pleaded not guilty to a misdemeanor charge of perjury Tuesday.

Brian Encinia, who was fired from his position with the Texas Department of Public Safety, was indicted by a grand jury on a perjury charge after he claimed he pulled Bland from her vehicle to continue an investigation. A dash cam video of the traffic stop shows he pulled her out of her car after she refused to put out her cigarette.

According to a report from the Associated Press published by the Chicago Tribune, protesters gathered outside the courthouse with signs reading “What happened to Sandra Bland?” And “Tell the truth.”

Larkin Eakin, Encinia’s attorney, told the Associated Press that the charge “represents a fundamental misunderstanding of law enforcement procedures,” adding that Encinia acted properly during Bland’s traffic stop.

Encinia stopped Bland for a traffic signal violation July 10. From there, the stop became contentious as both Bland and Encinia grew argumentative. Bland was subsequently arrested and three days later was found dead in her Waller County jail cell.

Her death was ruled a suicide, but her family believes something more sinister happened.

“I want an opportunity to allow accountability to be shown. I want answers as to what happened to my daughter,” Bland’s mother Geneva Reed-Veal told the Los Angeles Times.

The family’s lawyer, Cannon Lambert told the paper that accountability is needed and “they got to the try the case,” instead of accepting a plea deal.

The next hearing is scheduled for May 17.