Video shows a police officer telling a Black motorist 'you're going to get your a-- whooped' before forcing him out of the car

• Virginia State Police have placed a trooper on leave after he was seen in the video threatening a Black motorist with getting his "a-- whooped" and pulling him out of his car.
• Authorities said in a statement that the trooper's behavior was "not in agreement with the established standards of conduct required of a Virginia trooper."
• The altercation began during a traffic stop in April 2019, in which the motorist refused to leave his vehicle.
• Before pulling the motorist from his car, the trooper could be heard in the video saying, "Watch the show, folks."

Virginia State Police said they're investigating a cellphone video showing a state trooper telling a Black motorist he would get his "a-- whooped," and then forcibly pulling him out of his car.

The incident took place during a traffic stop on April 20, 2019, but only came to light after the motorist's lawyer posted the video on Twitter Monday along with a letter to Virginia's attorney general, Mark Herring.

The attorney, Joshua Erlich, wrote that the trooper "unconstitutionally assaulted" the motorist, Derrick Thompson, and "conducted an illegal search of Mr. Thompson's vehicle."

In Thompson's video of the incident, he could be seen holding his hands in the air and repeatedly telling the trooper he was not posing a threat to the troopers.

—Joshua Erlich (@JoshuaErlich) July 13, 2020

But the trooper, identified as C. Hewitt, grew irate when Thompson refused to exit the vehicle.

"You are gonna get your a-- whooped in front of the Lord and all creation," Hewitt said.

The Virginia State Police released a statement saying the trooper, C. Hewitt, had been placed on administrative leave while the agency conducts an investigation.

"The conduct displayed by Trooper Hewitt during the course of the traffic stop is not in agreement with the established standards of conduct required of a Virginia trooper," Colonel Gary Settle, the superintendent of the Virginia State Police, said in a statement. "Nor is it characteristic of the service provided daily across the Commonwealth of Virginia by Virginia State Police personnel."

The trooper said, 'Watch the show, folks' before ripping Thompson out of his seat

Police said troopers first stopped Thompson on the I-495 in Fairfax County due to an expired inspection decal, but then realized that Thompson was driving on a suspended driver's license. Police said the troopers also "detected a strong odor of marijuana" from Thompson's car.

Hewitt then repeatedly asked Thompson to exit his car, though Thompson refused.

"Thompson was then forcibly removed from the vehicle and taken into custody," the police statement said.

In Thompson's video, Hewitt could be seen looking straight into Thompson's camera and saying, 'Watch the show, folks," before forcefully ripping Thompson out of his seat and out of the car.

—Joshua Erlich (@JoshuaErlich) July 13, 2020

Though Thompson dropped the camera, he could be heard pleading for help and telling the troopers he was not resisting arrest.

"My life is in danger," Thompson cried out.

"How do you like that, motherf----er?" Hewitt yelled.

Thompson later pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of obstruction of justice without force, according to The Washington Post.

Thompson's attorney, Erlich, wrote in his letter that Thompson suffered cuts to his face as a result of the arrest. Virginia State Police said in the statement that Thompson underwent a medical evaluation at the local jail for a "minor abrasion" to his forehead.

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