Perjury charge dropped against Texas trooper who stopped Sandra Bland

The Houston Chronicle reports:  Former Texas trooper, Brian Encinia, who stopped Sandra Bland on a Waller County roadside in 2015 had the criminal charge against him dismissed Wednesday, stirring painful emotions from Bland's family members who had hoped the case would go to trial.

Encinia’s attorney said his client agreed to step down from police work when he began receiving death threats and even needed police protection for his family. The private prosecutor in the case assigned by the Waller County District Attorney said that the deal was made to get Encinia off the street, which was a best case scenario given the unpredictability of taking the matter in front of a jury.

Encinia had entered false statements to his superiors regarding Bland’s arrest. However, he was not implicated in any way to her hanging death three days after their encounter.