Fake Mugshot Photo Speculation Complicates Issues Surrounding Sandra Bland’s Death

The July 10 arrest and subsequent death of Sandra Bland has reignited discussions of race and police brutality in the United States at a time when deaths of citizens while in police custody have already dominated news. In the case of Sandra Bland, unlike other high profile African-American police related deaths in recent months, every answer Waller County state troopers offer to explain why Sandra Bland was arrested and how she died only raises more questions. Public interest in Sandra Bland’s death exploded last week when the Waller County Assistant District Attorney Warren Diepraam told reporters that preliminary autopsy results suggested that Sandra Bland’s cause of death was suicide by hanging and when mugshot photos of Sandra Bland were released.

Speculation as to whether or not Sandra Bland was alive in the mugshot began almost immediately. The woman in the mugshot is clearly Sandra Bland, but her posture and facial expression were so different from the private photos released since her death that many believed she was dead when the mugshot was taken. The implication being that Waller County state troopers botched Sandra Bland’s arrest, which many feel was illegal, and her processing. It isn’t hard to see how some may suspect the mugshot is an attempt by Waller County to cover up their mistakes, whether or not Sandra Bland’s death was caused by foul play.

Several noted forensic pathologists spoke about the photo, including Michael Baden in an interview with USA Today. According to Baden, there is no evidence that Sandra Bland was dead when her mugshot was taken. Baden also noted that it is impossible to tell if a person is recently dead, as Bland would have to have been for the theory to be correct, for a single photograph.

“I’ve seen hundreds and hundreds of mugshots. Most people have a sad expression on their face. … She has an angry look, and I don’t blame her for being angry.”

The Sandra Bland seen in the mugshot is clearly not the happy woman seen in other photos, and the story surrounding the photo makes it all the more chilling. Yet another copy of the mugshot also emerged. This version, often deemed the “original” on social media, has only complicated the story and further convinced some that Sandra Bland is dead in her mugshot.

While the Waller County officials have yet to comment on the “original” photograph, several graphic artists have taken to social media to refute the authenticity of it.

One graphic artist shared views on Facebook.

“First, even for a low res images, the pixel difference in the areas of concern are quite obvious. I have done a lot of retouching and this is a horrible job. The low resolution image is also troubling. Police departments use HD digital and have for sometime, even in the sticks. Why hack an image and down res it? Look at the abrupt way the pixels changes colors in the areas of question. IMO, THIS WAS SHOPPED.”

Though not everyone who believes that the so-called original mugshot is fake believes that Sandra Bland is alive in the real mugshot.

@FINEWHlNE the 1st is edited. The right one is real but she still looks dead in it

— ????? (@JumppMon) July 23, 2015

Sandra Bland’s funeral was held Saturday, July 25. Rev. James F. Miller, who officiated the funeral, confirmed the intentions of the Bland family to find answers for Sandra Bland’s arrest and death.

“The authorities in Waller County are going to discover something that I learned and each of us learned at our mother’s knee. You can disrespect a strong black woman if you want, but you’re going to pay for that.”

[Image Via Waller County Sheriffs Office]