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Texas Prosecutor Announces Committee of Outside Lawyers to Review Sandra Bland Case

The Texas District Attorney investigating the death of Sandra Bland announced a committee of outside lawyers to review evidence in the case.
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A Texas prosecutor on Monday announced a committee of outside attorneys who will investigate the death of Sandra Bland, who allegedly committed suicide in a jail cell following a traffic stop.

The group will “review evidence as it comes in” on both Bland’s initial arrest and her untimely death, Waller County District Attorney Elton Mathis said at an afternoon news conference.

Mathis acknowledged the national attention that Bland’s death has received and said the committee would help his office to answer the remaining questions circulating around the case. The committee will be led by former prosecutors and defense attorneys Lewis White and Darrell Jordan.

“There are many lingering questions regarding the death of Sandra Bland, and I’ve asked Mr. White and Mr. Jordan to assist me in asking those hard questions and making sure they are answered in a timely and appropriate manner as the evidence takes shape and is presented to my office,” he said.

A copy of the Bland's initial toxicology report was also released at the news conference, indicating that Bland had marijuana in her system at the time of her death. Mathis did not comment on the findings and said that more details would be released in a final report.

Mathis said the investigation into Bland’s death would likely go to the county grand jury sometime in August.

“As long as we have all the investigation complete from the Rangers and the FBI, I don’t anticipate why that would not go in August,” he said.

Sandra Bland, 28, died in the Waller County Jail after a traffic stop in Prairie View, Texas, escalated into a physical confrontation. Her death has sparked intense speculation on social media, with many questioning how Bland died.

Mathis said he was open to any federal agencies investigating the case, though he is not aware of any independent federal investigations.

“Any federal agency is welcome to come to Waller County,” he said. “We want this county to be an open book.”