Something just isn't right. One day after Sandra Bland's death, 18-year old Kindra Chapman died in an Alabama jail under similar circumstances to Bland.
The 18-year-old was arrested July 14 on accusations she stole a cell phone, according to AL.com. She was booked just before 6:30 p.m. and found unresponsive in her cell at 7:50 p.m. Like Bland, authorities have blamed Chapman’s death on suicide by hanging. Like Bland, Chapman’s family said the teen had a full and happy life and do not believe she committed suicide. Like Bland, Black Lives Matter activists have joined her family in demanding answers.
...
“She had family that loved her. She had unconditional love from all around,” her aunt Leslie Chapman told the station. “She would never do nothing like that, she was happy.”
...
Jefferson County D.A. Brandon Falls told AL.com he has preliminary evidence to deliver to Chapman’s family, but he hasn’t been able to get in touch with them.
“I do not feel that it would be appropriate to release any information until I have spoken with the family about the investigation,” he said in a Tuesday statement. “Attempts have been made to contact the family and the attorneys, and I am awaiting a response from them.”
Falls said his office has reports of the offense that led to Chapman’s arrest and reports from the officers on duty at the time of her death, along with the reports of the investigating detective, according to AL.com. They also have video surveillance tapes from several cameras at Homewood City Jail, where Chapman was jailed, and a witness statement from a person in custody at the same time she was.
It's hard for me to believe an 18-year old girl would hang herself less than 2 hours after her arrest. Something is seriously wrong here.
