Ogg solution to prevent another “Bland” tragedy
Share this story:
Veteran crime victim’s rights lawyer Kim Ogg says District Attorneys should immediately implement changes in the way they review criminal charges of resisting arrest or assault on a police officer.
“Sandra Bland’s death in the Waller County Jail has made international news, but if prosecutors had viewed the Texas Department of Public Safety dash-cam video at the same time they were presented with the arresting officer’s sworn statement, they would never have approved criminal charges against Bland. Absent a criminal charge, Sandra would never have been jailed,” says Ogg.
Ogg says she has the ‘fix.’
Ogg says in cases where police seek to file charges against a citizen for resisting arrest or assaulting a police officer, they could and should be required to produce any existing dash cam or body cam video footage in their custody to prosecutors within 24 hours. This would require prosecutors to review this material in time to assess whether the charge is valid or whether the offender should be released without charges filed. Bland was in jail 72 hours before she died.
Prosecutors say it was a suicide.
“This is a simple solution that will protect citizens and police officers. Scene videos will either be supportive of an officers’ allegations or not, and a quick review by prosecutors charged would protect Harris County citizens from injustices like Sandra Bland suffered.”
Ogg’s further suggests that best practices would invite and encourage third-parties who videotape these encounters to have access to providing digital recordings they make at such scenes to the District Attorney directly during this same time period or even later. Prosecutors would be obliged to review that additional evidence.
Ogg is available at her law office for comment.
3215 Mercer, Suite 100 – Houston, Texas 77027
713.974.1600 . Fax: 713.621.2106
www.ogglawfirm.com
