Kim Kardashian is the latest, and arguably most high-profile, celebrity to join in the online movement calling for justice for Sandra Bland.
The 28-year-old woman died in a Texas jail cell earlier this month, after being imprisoned for an alleged traffic violation. Bland was pulled over by State Trooper Brian Encinia for allegedly failing to use a turn signal. Dash cam footage showed the two engaging in a verbal dispute, with Encinia demanding Bland put out her cigarette, even though she was in her own vehicle.
Encinia was then seen trying to forcible remove Bland from her car and saying he was placing her under arrest, though he didn’t say what for. After he flashed a taser, Bland ultimately stepped out, and later could be heard on the audio saying he assaulted her. The incident took place Friday, July 10, and on the following Monday, still in police custody, Bland died after being found in respiratory distress.
In the days since, officials have deemed Bland’s death a suicide, alleging she hanged herself in her cell. In a press conference on Thursday, a Waller County prosecutor stood by that, and further said there was no evidence of homicide. But for many, no satisfactory answers have been given about what exactly happened behind closed doors.
Stars like Jesse Williams and Gabrielle Union have been vocal about the case on Twitter, and on Thursday evening, Kardashian joined in. “#WhatHappenedToSandraBland We need answers!!!! This is NOT ok! This is all shady! They need to own up to this & tell the truth,” tweeted the reality star to her 33.7 million followers.
About an hour later, Kardashian tweeted again, writing, “#MassiveCoverUp #WhatHappenedToSandraBland.” At the time of Kardashian’s messages, “#JusticeForSandraBland” was trending both in the United States and worldwide. Other stars to comment include Nicki Minaj, Kerry Washington, and Taraji P. Henson.
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