HOUSTON – A Waller County grand jury is hearing evidence in the controversial Sandra Bland case. Grand jury proceedings are a secret process, therefore details will not be released about the evidence or people called to testify until later. The grand jury proceedings are expected to take 30 days.
In a separate legal matter, a motion was filed earlier this week for a summary judgment asking the judge in the civil case to dismiss the lawsuit filed against Waller County and other parties.
According to the lawsuit, the county is liable for the actions of Elsa Magnus and Oscar Prudente, who work at the jail and were present while Bland was in custody. They are also named individually as defendants.
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"Waller County Jail personnel were inadequately trained on the procedures for recognition, supervision, documentation and handling of inmates who are mentally disabled, and/or potentially suicidal," the lawsuit claims.
"There are inconsistencies that have been documented that concern us," Bland family attorney Cannon Lambert said days after the suit was filed.
The suit charges that Waller County is responsible, particularly in relation to Bland's mental state, because Bland wasn't properly screened.
On a handwritten suicide screening form, Bland indicated that she felt very depressed and that she once attempted suicide by taking pills after losing a baby.
But on a second screening document, the second page has "No" written next to the question about suicide attempts.
Bland died in her jail cell. The Harris County medical examiner ruled her death suicide by hanging. Whether she killed herself or foul play was involved, the lawsuit claims that Waller County failed to keep a close eye on Bland while she was in custody.
In a statement to KPRC 2, Waller County's attorney said: "We look forward to presenting all the evidence to the court, in the context of the applicable standards for civil liability, and intend to vigorously defend the case."