Dashcam video of Sandra Bland's arrest released

HOUSTON – Video released Tuesday of Sandra Bland's arrest shows a Texas Department of Public Safety trooper threaten to drag her out of her car and then pull out a Taser.

After initially stopping Bland, DPS state Trooper Brian Encinia issues her a written warning for failure to signal a lane change.

WATCH THE DASHCAM VIDEO HERE

Then, for unknown reasons, Encinia asks Bland to put out her cigarette.

"I'm in my car, why do I have to put out my cigarette?" Bland asks.

Encinia replies, "Well, you can step on out now."

After refusing to leave the car several times, Encinia threatens to drag Bland from the car and then pulls out his stun gun, screaming, "I will light you up! Get out of the car now!"

The arrest continues out of the dash camera's view with Bland cursing at Encinia that he is hurting her wrist.

Encinia tells a female Prairie View officer that Bland kicked him. He also says later in the video he is not seriously injured.

Thomas Nixon, an attorney and former Houston police officer who watched the video, believes the traffic stop should have ended after Encinia handed her the warning.

"Obviously, he's arresting her because she didn't stop smoking. That's when he made the decision to arrest her because she wouldn't put her cigarette out, but the problem with that decision is that it's not illegal to smoke," Nixon said.

Nixon said citizens cannot resist an arrest even if it is unlawful.

AFFIDAVIT OF BLAND'S ARREST

But, he adds, Encinia's training should have led him to handle the situation differently regardless of Bland's behavior.

"An officer is trained to deescalate tension not escalate tension unless you're looking for a fight," he said.

DPS briefed state and local officials in Prairie View before making the dashcam video available to the public.

"This team of investigators is committed to conducting a thorough and impartial investigation. When the Texas Rangers and FBI investigation is complete, it will be turned over for review by the District Attorney, who has indicated it will also be brought before a grand jury," said DPS Director Steven McCraw.

"It is important that you know and that America knows that we want to make sure that there is transparency as it relates to what occurred in the death of Mrs. Bland," said state Sen. Royce West. "We've asked the district attorney that as he presents this case to the grand jury, that the grand jury be ethnically diverse."

Bland was found dead in her jail cell three days after she was arrested.

The Waller County sheriff and district attorney have said that Bland committed suicide by hanging herself with a plastic trash bag from a privacy partition in her cell.

Waller County Judge Trey Duhon and District Attorney Elton Mathis met privately with Bland's immediate family and their attorney on Tuesday.

"It was a very positive meeting. The family expressed some of their concerns and the fact that they still have many questions that need to be answered, and both Mr. Mathis and myself told them that we understood that, and we assured the family that everything will be provided to them so that they can get those answers," Duhon said in a statement.

Mathis reiterated that the investigation would be conducted similar to a murder case in which no stone would be left unturned.

Click here to see the full 52-minute video.