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Statement

STATEMENT OF KRISTIN ROWE-FINKBEINER, Executive Director and CEO, MomsRising, On the Death of Sandra Bland

July 21, 2015
Maternal Health

Lisa Lederer, 202-371-1996

MomsRising Backs Call for Federal Investigation and Prosecution of Those Who Played a Role in the Death of Sandra Bland
On Friday, July 10, Sandra Bland, a Black woman, was on her way to start her new life working in student outreach at her alma mater, Prairie View A&M University.  According to witness testimony, and a video recording, Sandra, after being slammed down on the ground by the arresting officer said “You just slammed my head to the ground. Do you not even care about that?” Face down on the ground with police officers surrounding her, Sandra was clearly not moving. Police then unjustly charged her with assault and booked her in the county jail. Less than 72 hours later, she was found dead. Her friends and family have come forward and argued that she did not commit suicide, despite police claims that she died of “self inflicted asphyxiation.”
 
Kristin Rowe-Finkbeiner, executive director of MomsRising.org released the following statement, joining the call for Attorney General Lynch to investigate the death of Sandra Bland and prosecute those who played a part in her death:
 
“Over the last few months, more and more Americans have become aware of the ways in which the police racially profile, assault, or even kill Black men and women at significantly higher rates than White people. Further, there is a disturbing pattern of police then falsifying documents and colluding to hide the evidence as in the case of Walter Scott and Freddie Gray.  
 
“Sandra Bland, Walter Scott, Freddie Gray all matter - and no mother - no one should ever have to fear that a loved one could be killed at the hands of those we charge with protection.
 
“We stand with Sandra Bland’s family in seeing her tragic death as yet another case of racial profiling with lethal results.  Plain and simple - the police cannot police themselves and MomsRising’s more than one million members join the call for President Obama and Attorney General Loretta Lynch to use the full power of the Justice Department to investigate and prosecute those who played a role in the arrest and death of Sandra Bland.  Also, all video and photos must be released to the public for full transparency of this terrible tragedy.”
 
For interviews with Kristin Rowe-Finkbeiner or Monifa Bandele of MomsRising, please contact Michele Setteducato at michele@fitzgibbonmedia.com.
 

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MomsRising.org is an on-the-ground and online grassroots organization of more than a million people who are working to increase family economic security, decrease discrimination against women and moms, and to build a nation where businesses and families can thrive. Established in 2006, MomsRising and its members are organizing and speaking out to improve public policy and to change the national dialogue on issues that are critically important to America’s families, including criminal justice reform, immigration policy reform, and gun safety. MomsRising is working for paid family and medical leave, affordable, high quality childcare and early learning, and for an end to the wage and hiring discrimination which penalizes women — particularly moms and women of color — and so many others. MomsRising advocates for access to healthy food for all kids, health care for all, earned sick days, and breastfeeding rights so that all children can have a healthy start. MomsRising maintains a Spanish language website: MamásConPoder.org. Sign up online at www.MomsRising.org — and follow us on our blog, and on Twitter and Facebook.