When the law lies.

• Author: Sullum, Jacob
• Position: Sandra Bland death - Perjury - Brief article

IN JANUARY a Waller County, Texas, grand jury indicted state trooper Brian Encinia for perjury in his report on a traffic stop that ended with the driver, Sandra Bland, in handcuffs. The Texas Department of Public Safety then announced that it will "begin termination proceedings" against the cop, who has been on desk duty since Bland died, apparently by suicide, at the Waller County jail three days after the arrest.

Dashcam video of the July 10 incident shows that Encinia, who pulled Bland over for changing lanes without signaling, lost his temper after she declined his request that she put out her cigarette. That was the point at which he ordered her out of her car...