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Trooper who arrested Sandra Bland formally fired

Story highlights
  • The Texas Department of Public Safety upholds the decision to fire the officer who arrested Sandra Bland
  • Brian Encinia has been indicted on a perjury charge relating to her case
  • Bland was found dead in her cell three days after being arrested,

(CNN) The decision to fire Brian Encinia, the Texas state trooper who arrested Sandra Bland, was upheld by the Texas Department of Public Safety on Tuesday, according to a news release.

Encinia arrested Bland in July 2015 after a traffic stop. Authorities accused her of failing to use her turn signal.

Three days later, Bland was found dead in her cell.

Who was Sandra Bland?

No one was indicted in relation to the jailhouse death, but a grand jury did not believe Encinia's statement that he removed Bland from the car she was driving so he could conduct a safer traffic investigation.

Encinia was indicted on a perjury charge, and authorities began terminations proceedings shortly after.

He has the right to appeal Tuesday's decision.

Bland's death raised questions of excessive police force and the role of race in police interactions. She was African-American.

Controversial police encounters fast facts

Her family says she should never have been arrested and would never have killed herself. Police say she hanged herself in her cell.

CNN's Steve Almasy and Chandler Friedman contributed to this report.
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