Death of US black woman in jail ruled suicide

Chicago

The controversial death of a black woman in a Texas jail was ruled a suicide after an autopsy found no signs of foul play, prosecutors said Thursday.

Sandra Bland, 28, was found hanged in her jail cell three days after being pulled over for failing to signal a lane change and getting into an argument with a state trooper. 

Bland's family disputed an initial conclusion that Bland committed suicide, insisting she was happy about starting a new job and had no reason to kill herself. 

The case has blown up as the United States grapples with heightened racial tensions in the wake of a series of high-profile incidents of African Americans being killed by police in disputed circumstances. 

Prosecutors released graphic autopsy photos and painstakingly detailed the coroner's conclusions at a press conference Thursday. 

"We're never going to be able to convince everyone," said Warren Diepraam, assistant district attorney for Waller County. 

However, he said the evidence from the autopsy is "consistent with a suicide" and "I have not seen any evidence to indicate this was a homicide." 

A dash cam video of the July 10 arrest fueled suspicions that Bland was mistreated.

It shows a state trooper get angry after Bland refuses to put out her cigarette, then draw his taser and shout "I'm going to light you up" after she refuses to get out of the car.