Texas Trooper in Sandra Bland Arrest Placed on Desk Duty After Rules 'Violations': Department
— -- The Texas trooper involved in the arrest of Sandra Bland, who was found dead in her cell days later, was put on desk duty for alleged violations of Department of Public Safety rules.
The agency said in a statement that the officer who stopped Bland's car on July 10 in Prairie View, Texas was assigned to administrative duties after the DPS "identified violations of the department's procedures regarding traffic stops and the department's courtesy policy."
Tom Vinger, a spokesman for the DPS, told the Associated Press that it is "still being determined which procedures the trooper allegedly violated.
The DPS statement also said the agency and the Waller County D.A. have asked the FBI to perform a "forensic analysis" of videos related to the case.
"The video footage will be shared with the public as soon as possible," the statement said.
Bland was found hanged in her cell three days after her arrest. Authorities have termed the death a suicide, but Bland's family disputes that assertion.
According to the AP, prosecutors said there were no cameras in the cell where Bland was found dead.
Waller County District Attorney Elton Mathis said that privacy issues may have prevented the monitoring. Bland was believed to be the only female prisoner in the jail at the time, Mathis said.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
