Changes Likely To Texas Jail Forms After Woman's Death
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AUSTIN (AP) - Jail regulators in Texas say they are changing mental health screenings for inmates following the death this summer of Sandra Bland in a rural county lockup.
Lawmakers on Tuesday learned that jails could begin using new intake forms early as November. That would be four months after authorities say Bland hanged herself with a garbage bag after being pulled over for a traffic violation.
Brandon Wood, executive director of the Texas Commission on Jail Standards, says new screening forms should make it clearer to jailers on how to process inmates with histories of mental illness. Bland had indicated on a booking questionnaire that she had previously attempted suicide.
Bland's family has sued the jail and a Texas state trooper whose aggressive confrontation with Bland was captured on dashcam video.
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