Stickland strikes a chord

Bedford state Rep. Jonathan Stickland doesn’t have a reputation for being measured with his words.

The two-term legislator is known for fiery rhetoric and emotional outbursts, which generally aren’t productive in policymaking.

But Stickland’s sharp words were welcome during a recent hearing on the case of Sandra Bland, the young woman who was found hanged in her Waller County Jail cell three days after being pulled over for a traffic stop.

Stickland employed his characteristic bluster when he grilled Texas Department of Public Safety Director Steve McCraw over the behavior of the officer responsible for Bland’s arrest.

“There seems to be a lack of respect when people assert their rights,” he said.

While Bland’s death has been ruled a suicide, there are clear indications the conditions that made her death possible were created by a series of law enforcement failures.

And Stickland’s anger on that front was justified.

This story was originally published August 5, 2015 at 5:57 PM with the headline "Stickland strikes a chord."