Mother of Sandra Bland says charges not enough

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Thursday, January 7, 2016
Sandra Bland's mother speaks out
In Chicago, Sandra Bland's mother responded to the indictment of a state trooper in her daughter's case

CHICAGO, IL -- The mother of Sandra Bland says her daughter's arrest and death in a Texas jail cell should have resulted in something more than a perjury charge against the white state trooper who arrested the black motorist.

Geneva Reed-Veal told reporters in Chicago Thursday that "there should have been much more" from the grand jury that indicted Trooper Brian Encinia on Wednesday with lying about the circumstances of his traffic stop and arrest of Bland.

The 28-year-old woman was stopped in July for an improper lane change. She was arrested on suspicion of assaulting the trooper. Authorities say Bland hanged herself in her jail cell several days later.

Reed-Veal says the family wanted to see Encinia charged with battery and false arrest.

She says she doesn't trust the justice process, but wants to see a conviction. She told reporters she is "not super excited" about the indictment.

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