Arraignments have been set for a former Oklahoma police officer accused of sexually assaulting three women during traffic stops, and for the Texas trooper who arrested Sandra Bland last July, days before she allegedly committed suicide in her jail cell. Former Oklahoma Highway Patrol Officer Eric Roberts is scheduled to be arraigned this coming Tuesday on 11 counts of sexual battery, indecent exposure, rape by instrumentation and second degree rape. A woman came forward and filed a lawsuit against Roberts in 2014 alleging that he raped her during a a traffic stop. Two other women eventually came forward alleging the same thing. Robert was suspended and later resigned from the OHP.
The federal lawsuit claimed Roberts pulled the woman over and began asking her a series of sexual questions. He later drove her to a remote location while forcing her to watch a pornographic video on a cell phone.
He then raped her, discarded a condom and used bottled water purchased along the way to clean himself, the suit said.
The next day, the woman reported the incident to Oklahoma Highway Patrol, which investigated. They went to the scene of the reported assault and a condom was recovered, the suit said.
According to the OHP, investigators discovered Roberts had turned his dashboard camera off during six traffic stops, including the one listed in the federal lawsuit.
Meanwhile in Texas, Brian Encinia is scheduled for arraignment on March 22 on the charge of perjury.
A Waller County grand jury indicted Encinia in January after concluding there was evidence he lied about the circumstances under which Bland exited her car. If convicted of the misdemeanor perjury charge, Encinia could face up to a year in jail and a $4,000 fine. His case will be heard in the 506th District Court in Waller County.
Bland's arrest and subsequent death drew national attention, in part due to the video of the traffic stop recorded by a camera inside Encinia's patrol car. In the video, Encinia can be seen opening Bland's driver's side door and reaching in for her. She refuses to come out and the trooper threatens to use a Taser on her.
But in Encinia's report, he wrote: "I had Bland exit the vehicle to further conduct a safe traffic investigation." In the indictment, the grand jury said Encinia arrested Bland because he was angry that she would not put out her cigarette, a request the trooper made of her during the stop.
The family of Sandra Bland has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Encinia, the Waller County jail where Bland was held and the Texas Department of Public Safety. Encinia’s legal team has asked the court to suspend all activity in the lawsuit until his perjury trial is concluded. They’re concerned that any reports that come to light during the lawsuit may negatively influence potential jurors on the perjury case.
Back in Oklahoma, some folks are concerned that Brian Holtzclaw, the (other) rapist cop who was sentenced to 263 years in prison, can’t be found on the Oklahoma Department of Corrections website. According to local station KFOR:
The website, which shows criminal convictions, mug shots and where inmates are incarcerated, has deleted Holtzclaw.
When asked where Holtzclaw is located, Oklahoma Department of Corrections Spokesperson Terri Watkins would only say, “We are not going to comment, it is a matter of security.”
KFOR inquired if Holtzclaw is still in custody and Watkins assured us he is.
Alex Gerszewsk told KFOR Anchor/Reporter Ali Meyer, “ He was processed at Lexington exactly as every other offender. Currently, we cannot reveal his location for security; the security of the inmate and the facility.”
Although prisons have their share of rapists, Oklahoma officials apparently don’t want to take any chances with Holtzclaw’s safety. The former Oklahoma City police officer was convicted of sexually assaulting 13 African-American women and one minor who, prosecutors allege, he specifically chose because of their race, income status and possible criminal record. Those factors might not go over too well in prison, and no one wants Holtzclaw to end up like this guy on their watch.