Funeral Services For Sandra Bland Held This Morning

The funeral for Sandra Bland, the 28-year-old woman who died in a Texas jail, was held this morning in Lisle, a Chicago suburb. Chicago’s ABC 7 reports that the Bland’s family arrived around 8:30 a.m. for private services at the DuPage African Methodist Episcopal Church.

Bland’s funeral comes in the midst of controversy both over her arrest and subsequent detention, but also after a Waller Country, Texas forensics team ruled her death a suicide. That report classified Bland’s death as “suicide by hanging” since tests showed no evidence of injuries that would be consistent with a “violent homicide.”

Her family, however, remains unconvinced by the Waller County report and, according to the Guardian, ordered an independent autopsy that was completed last Saturday. Bland’s family is still waiting for the final results.

Supporters stood outside of the church where the service for Bland was held. “As an African American woman, just to show my solidarity to her family and in support of the African American community and the struggles that we have,” one told ABC 7. “I’ve been through that myself, so I have empathy with her. And she had a very promising life ahead of her and it’s very unfortunate.”