Connect with us

#NNPA BlackPress

New Cellphone Video Deepens Concerns about Sandra Bland’s Death

NNPA NEWSWIRE — “When Sandra Bland saw that Officer Brian Encinia had crossed multiple lines, and was there to do much more than simply give her a ticket, she grabbed her phone and began filming him. The video is just 39 seconds long, but it’s literally the most important piece of evidence in the case not just against Brian Encinia, but against the Waller County jail, and the local prosecutors who concealed it.” Activist Shaun King wrote on his blog for Black America Web.

Published

on

By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Correspondent
@StacyBrownMedia

Sandra Bland’s own cellphone video of her 2015 arrest in Texas has raised new questions about the evidence in the case and cast even more suspicion on her alleged jail cell suicide.

To some, the video confirms what they’ve long suspected: Bland was murdered.

“Four years after the brutal arrest and death of Sandra Bland, we just now learned that she filmed her arrest,” Journalist and Activist Shaun King wrote on his blog for Black America Web.

“I’ve shared the video, but I want to unpack and explain who hid it, why, and what the video shows us. Because here’s what we know – across the years – too many Black folk have been killed – and the people set free – based on lies – from Emmitt Till on down,” King said.

Cheryle Renee Moses, a candidate in the 2020 Georgia District 9 Senate Race, took to Twitter to express her outrage.

“The new video released on Sandra Bland’s encounter with a white supremacist confirms the cop was not in fear. Sandra was ready to go to court and I believe she was killed. Period,” Moses said. “There is no way she would take her own life.”

Hope Rising wrote, “[Police Officer] Brian Encinia needs to be in prison. Sandra Bland was murdered.”

Bland’s cell phone video “has been released and we are forced to talk about the issues surrounding her tragic death,” wrote @kiloemcee, one of dozens of Twitter users who expressed outrage after seeing the new video.

“There is more miscarriage of justice in that part of his plea, the officer was allowed to simply walk away from his job. He committed perjury and false arrest,” @kiloemcee wrote.

The video, which surfaced this month and aired on television in Dallas, showed Encinia leaning into the open car door and ordering Bland out of the car.

At one point, Encinia points a stun gun and yells that he will “light you up.”

The cell phone shows that the incident, which occurred on July 10, 2015, concludes with Bland and Encinia outside of the vehicle and him ordering her to cease recording.

Three days later, Bland was found hanging in her cell and authorities ruled her death a suicide.

Dashcam and other cellphone recordings were made public in the weeks after Bland’s arrest and death. However, the newest video raised concerns for the attorney who represented Bland’s family in civil cases, he told the Chicago Tribune.

Cannon Lambert said he and other attorneys had not seen the video in evidence turned over as part of his civil cases, though he thought it could have been due to simple human error.

Regardless, the new video would not have made much of a difference in his civil cases against the state of Texas and the county jail where Bland died, which he settled for a total of nearly $2 million combined, because of legal limits on the amount of money the public agencies could pay, he said.

Rather, the new video raised questions about the special prosecutors’ handling of the criminal charge against Encinia, Lambert said.

“To me, what it really underscores is that the special prosecutors, who apparently had the video before they dropped the charge against Encinia, had ample evidence and opportunity to fully prosecute him like they told the family they were going to, but chose to cut bait and cut a deal,” he said.

Texas Department of Public Safety officials said in a statement they complied with their evidence requirements as part of the civil lawsuit. The video was referenced in a Texas Ranger report, and the report was made available during the civil lawsuit filed by Bland’s family, they said.

Department of Public Safety officials also said they provided the video in 2017 in response to a request from Brian Collister, who then worked for an Austin TV station and who was one of the reporters involved in the story that recently aired on a Dallas TV station that revealed the video.

Lambert said the video shows there was “no basis” to the officer’s initial claim that he was concerned for his safety.

King said the incident all began because of racial profiling.

“This stop was never about turn signals or traffic violations – it was about white power – and it burned him up when he got to the window of Sandra’s car, and saw that she was a proud, informed, strong Black woman – he was completely unnerved,” King said.

“And immediately, it became about power for him. And as soon as Sandra Bland really understood that this wasn’t just a traffic stop, she did something that we never knew she did – the police knew it. Local prosecutors knew it. And for four years they kept this a secret,” he said.

King continued:

“When Sandra Bland saw that Officer Brian Encinia had crossed multiple lines, and was there to do much more than simply give her a ticket, she grabbed her phone and began filming him.

“The video is just 39 seconds long, but it’s literally the most important piece of evidence in the case not just against Brian Encinia, but against the Waller County jail, and the local prosecutors who concealed it.”

While the video doesn’t include her assault, King and others said it’s still painful to watch.

King breaks down facts including that the officer opening Bland’s door was illegal because he didn’t have reasonable suspicion of a crime.

In Encinia’s report, the officer said that he feared for his life and safety with Bland on multiple occasions.

“Of course, that was a lie,” King said.

“And when he said so on his official reports, he committed perjury… Brian Encinia never would’ve opened the car door of a white woman for failure to use her turn signal. He never would’ve taken out a stun gun on a white woman, turned it on, stuck it in her face, and told her he was gonna light her up. He never would’ve slammed a white woman on her head. And we know this because he literally never did any such thing to a white woman in his entire career. I checked,” King said.

#NNPA BlackPress

Tiguan’s AI Touchscreen & Gear Shift: VW Just Changed the Game! #2

Explore the Tiguan’s cutting-edge 12.9-inch infotainment touchscreen featuring wireless Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, voice control, and a new AI assistant. See how VW innovatively moved the gear shifter to the steering column, enhancing the center console and navigation system! #AutoNetwork #Tiguan #Infotainment #AppleCarPlay #AndroidAuto #AISystem #NavigationSystem #CarTech #TechReview #CarInnovation #Automotive

Published

on


https://youtube.com/watch?v=0xUKM6U2Lpc&autoplay=0&cc_lang_pref=en&cc_load_policy=0&color=0&controls=1&fs=1&h1=en&loop=0&rel=0

Explore the Tiguan’s cutting-edge 12.9-inch infotainment touchscreen featuring wireless Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, voice control, and a new AI assistant. See how VW innovatively moved the gear shifter to the steering column, enhancing the center console and navigation system! #AutoNetwork #Tiguan #Infotainment #AppleCarPlay #AndroidAuto #AISystem #NavigationSystem #CarTech #TechReview #CarInnovation #Automotive

Continue Reading

#NNPA BlackPress

IN MEMORIAM: Legendary Funk Pioneer Sly Stone Dies at 82

Sly Stone’s musical approach radically reshaped popular music. He transcended genre boundaries and empowered a new generation of artists. The band’s socially conscious message and infectious rhythms sparked a wave of influence, reaching artists as diverse as Miles Davis, George Clinton, Prince, Dr. Dre, and the Roots.

Published

on

Sly and the Family Stone play the Opera House in Bournemouth. Mojo review. Photo by Simon Fernandez.
Sly and the Family Stone play the Opera House in Bournemouth. Mojo review. Photo by Simon Fernandez.

By Stacy M. Brown
BlackPressUSA.com Newswire

Sylvester “Sly” Stewart—known to the world as Sly Stone, frontman of the groundbreaking band Sly and the Family Stone—has died at the age of 82.

His family confirmed that he passed away peacefully at his Los Angeles home surrounded by loved ones, after battling chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and other health complications.

Born March 15, 1943, in Denton, Texas, Stone moved with his family to Vallejo, California, as a child. He began recording gospel music at age 8 with his siblings in a group called the Stewart Four. By his teenage years, he had mastered multiple instruments and was already pioneering racial integration in music—an ethos that would define his career.

In 1966, Sly and his brother Freddie merged their bands to form Sly and the Family Stone, complete with a revolutionary interracial, mixed-gender lineup.

The band quickly became a commercial and cultural force with hits such as “Dance to the Music,” “Everyday People,” and “Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin)”—all penned by Stone himself.

Their album “Stand!” (1969) and live performances—most notably at Woodstock—cemented their reputation, blending soul, funk, rock, gospel, and psychedelia to reflect the optimism and turmoil of their era.

Sly Stone’s musical approach radically reshaped popular music. He transcended genre boundaries and empowered a new generation of artists. The band’s socially conscious message and infectious rhythms sparked a wave of influence, reaching artists as diverse as Miles Davis, George Clinton, Prince, Dr. Dre, and the Roots.

As the 1970s progressed, Stone confronted personal demons. His desire to use music as a response to war, racism, and societal change culminated in the intense album “There’s a Riot Goin’ On” (1971). But drug dependency began to undermine both his health and professional life, leading to erratic behavior and band decline through the early 1980s.

Withdrawn from the public eye for much of the 1990s and early 2000s, Stone staged occasional comebacks. He was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1993, received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Grammys in 2017, and captured public attention following the 2023 release of his memoir “Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin)”—published under Questlove’s imprint. He also completed a biographical screenplay and was featured in Questlove’s documentary “Sly Lives!” earlier this year.

His influence endured across generations. Critics and historians repeatedly credit him with perfecting funk and creating a “progressive soul,” shaping a path for racial integration both onstage and in the broader culture.

“Rest in beats Sly Stone,” legendary Public Enemy frontman Chuck D posted on social media with an illustrative drawing of the artist. “We should thank Questlove of the Roots for keeping his fire blazing in this century.”

Emmy-winning entertainment publicist Danny Deraney also paid homage. “Rest easy Sly Stone,” Deraney posted. “You changed music (and me) forever. The time he won over Ed Sullivan’s audience in 1968. Simply magical. Freelance music publicist and Sirius XM host Eric Alper also offered a tribute.

“The funk pioneer who made the world dance, think, and get higher,” Alper wrote of Sly Stone. “His music changed everything—and it still does.”

Sly Stone is survived by three children.

Continue Reading

#NNPA BlackPress

PRESS ROOM: Clyburn on 10th Anniversary of Mother Emanuel AME Church Shooting in Charleston

BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — Congressman James E. Clyburn (SC-06) released the following video on X, paying tribute to the 10th anniversary of the shooting that took place at Mother Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina on June 17, 2015.

Published

on

By Congressman James E. Clyburn

WATCH HERE

CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA – Congressman James E. Clyburn (SC-06) released the following video on X, paying tribute to the 10th anniversary of the shooting that took place at Mother Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina on June 17, 2015.

“Over 6 years ago, the House first passed my Enhanced Background Checks Act to close the Charleston Loophole that allowed a white supremacist to obtain the gun he used to murder nine worshipers at Emanuel AME Church on June 17, 2015.

“I’ll never stop fighting to pass this law.”

Continue Reading

Subscribe to receive news and updates from the Oakland Post

* indicates required

CHECK OUT THE LATEST ISSUE OF THE OAKLAND POST

ADVERTISEMENT

WORK FROM HOME

Home-based business with potential monthly income of $10K+ per month. A proven training system and website provided to maximize business effectiveness. Perfect job to earn side and primary income. Contact Lynne for more details: Lynne4npusa@gmail.com 800-334-0540

Facebook

Wayne Wilson, Public Affairs Campaign Manager, Caltrans
Activism1 day ago

Juneteenth: Celebrating Our History, Honoring Our Shared Spaces

Rev. Dr. Lawrence E. VanHook. Courtesy of Rev. Dr. Lawrence E. VanHook.
Activism1 day ago

OPINION: California’s Legislature Has the Wrong Prescription for the Affordability Crisis — Gov. Newsom’s Plan Hits the Mark

Shutterstock
Antonio‌ ‌Ray‌ ‌Harvey‌3 days ago

Air Quality Board Rejects Two Rules Written to Ban Gas Water Heaters and Furnaces

Uncategorized3 days ago

Oakland Housing and Community Development Department Awards $80.5 Million to Affordable Housing Developments

#NNPA BlackPress3 days ago

Tiguan’s AI Touchscreen & Gear Shift: VW Just Changed the Game! #2

Sly and the Family Stone play the Opera House in Bournemouth. Mojo review. Photo by Simon Fernandez.
#NNPA BlackPress3 days ago

IN MEMORIAM: Legendary Funk Pioneer Sly Stone Dies at 82

U.S. Rep. Lateefah Simon (D-CA-12). File photo.
Activism3 days ago

Congress Says Yes to Rep. Simon’s Disability Hiring and Small Biz Support Bill

Dr. Head and Zakiya Jendayi, Their 28 year old friendship was ignored by Probate Court Judge Bean who ruled in favor of Dr. Head's estranged sister's. One sister could not identify Head, in a picture shown while under oath.
Activism3 days ago

The Case Against Probate: False Ruling Invalidates Black Professor’s Estate Plan, Ignoring 28-Year Relationship

#NNPA BlackPress3 days ago

PRESS ROOM: Clyburn on 10th Anniversary of Mother Emanuel AME Church Shooting in Charleston

#NNPA BlackPress3 days ago

Black Press, Shoppers Turn Up Heat on Target

#NNPA BlackPress3 days ago

PRESS ROOM: Local Students Attend PGA WORKS Beyond the Green at 71st KPMG Women’s PGA Championship

#NNPA BlackPress3 days ago

Israel and Iran! Will There be U.S. Involvement?

#NNPA BlackPress3 days ago

For the First Time in its 116 Year History, the NAACP Won’t invite the Sitting President to Their Annual Convention

#NNPA BlackPress4 days ago

PRESS ROOM: Juneteenth 2025: Chavis Urges America to Confront the Enduring Legacy of the Transatlantic Slave Trade

#NNPA BlackPress4 days ago

Crypto, Golf, and Now Phones: Trump Cashes in on the White House

Trending

Copyright ©2021 Post News Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved.