The Texas prosecutor responsible for investigating the death of Sandra Bland has enlisted the help of an independent committee of attorneys.
Waller County District Attorney Elton Mathis announced earlier today that a team of outside lawyers, led by former defense attorneys Lewis White and Darrell Jordan, would review evidence in Bland’s death and hopefully solve the case’s unanswered questions.
“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,” Mathis said at a press conference.
Bland, 28, was found hanging in her jail cell on Monday, July 20, three days after she was violently arrested during a routine traffic stop. Texas authorities have called her death a suicide, but Bland’s family is skeptical. Though a preliminary autopsy showed that there were no signs on her body indicative of a struggle, the family has ordered their own independent exam.
Mathis said today that he expects the case to be turned over to a grand jury in August. He said that he wants the investigation to be transparent and would cooperate with any independent probes.
“Any federal agency is welcome to come to Waller County,” he said “We want this county to be an open book.”