Jailhouse death of US black woman ruled suicide

The controversial death of a black woman in a Texas jail was ruled a suicide after an autopsy found no signs of a struggle on her body, 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.

Her 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 Thursday as they walked reporters through the autopsy report.

The evidence from the autopsy is "consistent with a suicide" and "I have not seen any evidence to indicate this was a homicide," assistant district attorney Warren Diepraam told reporters.

An initial toxicology report also found marijuana in Bland's system and there were about 30 cut marks on her left wrist that looked to be about two to four weeks old.

Bland had reportedly told her jailors that she had previously attempted to kill herself but was not placed on suicide watch, he added.