HOUSTON – A day after the DPS trooper charged with perjury during Sandra Bland's arrest turned himself in, supporters of Bland and community activists are calling for an investigation into Waller County officials.
The protesters are requesting that U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch intercede and investigate Waller County.
"We need the Department of Justice to investigate the prosecutor in Waller County. We need them to investigate the sheriff in Waller County. We need them to investigate the judges. We need to investigate the jailing system in Waller County. We need for them to investigate the entire injustice system in Waller County because we believe our dear sister Sandra Bland did not have a chance," activist Deric Muhammad said.
It was a July traffic stop in Prairie View that thrust Bland and Waller County into the national spotlight. Trooper Brian Encinia pulled over the 28-year-old Bland because he said she changed lanes without using a turn signal.
After a tense exchange, Bland eventually was arrested and placed in the Waller County Jail, where three days later she hanged herself.
A special prosecutor said Wednesday afternoon that Encinia was indicted because of a "statement that he made in a probable cause affidavit that he filed in justifying the arrest and detention of Sandra Bland."
In a press conference outside the Waller County Courthouse, special prosecutors said the indictment was issued in reference to the reason Encinia removed Bland from her vehicle.
"Specifically that he stated to remove her from the vehicle, to further conduct a safer traffic investigation and the grand jury found that statement to be false," special prosecutor Shawn McDonald said.
Encinia faces up to a year in jail and up to a $4,000 fine for the class A misdemeanor.
It was the only indictment issued in the case. Last month, the same grand jury decided not to indict anyone at the county jail in Bland's death.
"The grand jury is through investigating the case," McDonald said.