Texas Forensics Team Says Sandra Bland Died By Suicide

By Hillary Crosley Coker  |  July 23, 2015 | 10:20pm
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A Texas prosecutor has announced that Sandra Bland died by hanging in a suicide and her autopsy uncovered no evidence of a “violent struggle.” This autopsy is separate from the independent investigation commissioned by Bland’s family.

First assistant district attorney of Waller County Warren Diepraam discussed the findings during a press conference on Thursday, according to NBC News, adding that there were nearly 30 cuts on Bland’s wrists and the scarring seems to be from two to four weeks before her arrest. Diepraam said he has “full faith” in the Lone Star State’s forensics department.

Elsewhere, Houston ABC13 spoke to Alexandria Pyle, who was in a jail cell beside Bland during her last three days alive. The two women spoke about Bland’s bail funding.

“Because she was crying, and I could barely understand her, I was like, ‘It will be OK. It’s OK. Don’t cry. You can’t be in here forever,” Pyle said. “She was like, ‘I’m not equipped for this kind of life. I don’t need to be here, I don’t deserve to be here, I didn’t do anything it’s all messed up.’”

According to Pyle, Bland was “distraught” because her friend hadn’t bailed her out yet and she believes Sandy committed suicide because “there was no sound of a struggle.”

“I don’t think the guards did anything. I mean it’s a tragedy either way,” Pyle said. “I don’t think she should have been in the other tank, alone by herself… because we’re over here, we’re trying to keep each other laughing all the time, and she’s over there hearing that. That would make anybody sad.”

For the skeptical, Pyle’s words are reminiscent of the case of Freddie Gray’s murder in Baltimore by police where Donta Allen, an alleged witness, supposedly told cops that he saw Gray alive in a van driven by police. That was until Allen told a reporter that police had twisted his statement, and that he didn’t see Gray until he reached the police station, where Gray was dead.

Bland’s funeral is on Saturday.

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Image via AP.

 
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