Texas county releases Sandra Bland jail footage to debunk mugshot rumors

Texas officials released hours of footage Tuesday showing Sandra Bland inside the Waller County Jail in the days before she was found dead in her cell. The release, officials said, was intended to combat unfounded rumors online that Bland was already dead when her mugshot was taken.

Bland, a 28-year-old African American woman, was arrested July 10 after a routine traffic stop turned confrontational. She was found dead in her jail cell three days later.

Speculation about her mugshot began circulating last week, when some social media users claimed that Bland’s mugshot might have been taken of her dead body lying on the floor. The conspiracy theorists pointed out that Bland was wearing an orange jump suit — which they noted was unusual for an inmate — and that Bland’s face appeared emotionless.

Advertisement

“You will see in the video today that shows Sandra Bland was alive and well when her mugshot was taken,” Waller County Judge Trey Duhon said at a news conference Tuesday. “When it comes to correct information, social media cannot be relied upon.”

Bland’s death has been classified by the Harris County Medical Examiner’s Office as suicide by hanging.

[Sandra Bland’s death divides Texas county with ugly history of racism]

Duhon said that as a result of the rumors, the county has been “under attack” by cyberattackers.

“The reason that this is being done is we’ve received death threats and we received threats to our facilities,” Duhon said.

The video released Tuesday shows Bland entering the facility in a police vehicle, then being processed at the booking desk. She is escorted into a bathroom where she changes into an orange jumpsuit.

Advertisement

[Sandra Bland previously attempted suicide, jail documents say]

Throughout various portions of the video, which were played during the news conference, Bland appears to be wiping away tears.

The videos also show Bland’s booking photos being taken.

“When she takes her mugshot picture, she had been asleep for several hours,” Duhon said, noting that it might help explain her appearance in the photo. “She had just been woken up.”

Bland is shown being transported in and out of a holding cell during various parts of the booking process and for her appearance before a magistrate July 11, the day after her arrest — and two days before her death.

[‘I will light you up!’: Texas officer threatened Sandra Bland with Taser during traffic stop]

Bland makes several phone calls from the booking desk, according to the video. Duhon noted that jailers allowed her to use the phone, which requires no fee, in lieu of making costly collect calls from a phone available in her cell.

“There’s no footage that indicates to me that Ms. Bland was treated unfairly or mishandled or mistreated in any way, shape or form while she was in the Waller County Jail,” Duhon said.

ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7uK3SoaCnn6Sku7G70q1lnKedZLumw9JopKiqnp67qHnMoq9or6Bkf3F9lGhncGdibXy0rc2dqZplkqGur7CMsJisZZGhtrexjJqlnWWnmrmtedahnKdlmJq%2FbrnUoGSsoJ%2Bperit0marmqOVo3q1sdeaqmaipZm0pnnSmrCsZw%3D%3D