Charlotte’s top cop claims he can’t show you videos that prove Keith Scott’s killing was justified

[babylonsister]

Charlotte’s top cop claims he can’t show you videos that prove Keith Scott’s killing was justified
But the law he’s invoking isn’t in effect yet.
Alan Pyke


Moments after Mayor Jennifer Roberts pledged transparency in the police killing of Keith Scott that sparked violent overnight protests, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Chief Kerr Putney said his department will not release body camera footage from the incident.

Putney claimed he is unable to release the footage because state law requires a court order to publish such videos. “The law is pretty specific, especially around criminal evidence for an investigation,” he said. “I cannot release that.”

But that’s not true, the American Civil Liberties Union of North Carolina told ThinkProgress. The controversial law prohibiting police officials from releasing such videos to the public is not yet in effect.

“Of course he doesn’t need {a court order} now. It’s entirely in the department’s discretion,” ACLU NC communications director Mike Meno said. “We’re urging Chief Putney and CMPD to release this footage in the interest of transparency.”

“It’s entirely in the department’s discretion.”

The new state law stripping local officials’ decisionmaking authority over police camera footage kicks in on October 1. After the end of next week, citizens and officials alike will need a court order to get videos like these released in the public interest.

But until then, Meno said, Putney has all the authority he needs. “Where you have a situation like this where there are conflicting accounts from police and community members, it’s in the public interest to release footage that can shine a light on what happened,” he said. “Not only can this hold officers accountable if they’ve abused their power, but if the officer’s being accused of something they haven’t done it can show that as well.”

more...

https://thinkprogress.org/charlotte-police-video-881c8a875898#.mvuk9tyc6

[BootinUp]

1. So he only has to stonewall it till Oct 1. Hope he pays for that decision in the end. nt

[malthaussen]

2. One might be charitable, and suggest that he is just following the will of the people...

... as expressed in the law that will take effect next week.

Although I once made a right turn on red a week before the law went into effect permitting it, and got a ticket for it.

-- Mal

[anoNY42]

3. So we can just ignore him when he pleads

for calm in the community, since he has the power to bring on that calm and is failing to use it...

[gratuitous]

4. Here's another way you can tell whose life matters in our society

In the aftermath of a killing, do the authorities get as much information out to the public to help them track down and apprehend the killer, or do they withhold information? Note that I'm not talking about evidence from the crime scene, or official theories of the case and the like. When the marathon bombing in Boston happened a couple of years ago, every scrap of surveillance video, news coverage of the marathon, and anything else the authorities had was out in the public sphere to identify the Tsarnaev brothers. Police video of Scott's death? Not so public, because his life doesn't matter to the authorities.

[jonno99]

8. Apples & oranges. Btw - who are "the authorities" you think they are trying to protect in Charlotte?

The black police officer who shot Scott? The black chief of police?

[gratuitous]

9. You'd probably have to ask the chief of police who he's protecting

But I'd guess it isn't Keith Scott, who's beyond protecting at this point. Who's left to "protect" by not releasing the body cam footage?

Thanks, though, for the excellent example of yet another way people can tell who's life matters in our society.

[jonno99]

11. Try this on for a thought: a presumption of innocence means that due process must take place.

Unless you're of the opinion that mobs of angry people, who have only part of the story, are best suited to determine the guilt or innocence of someone accused of wrong-doing...

[philosslayer]

12. Many witnesses stated the shooting officer was white

Not sure what to believe

[tonyt53]

5. The decision is likely not his at this point because someone died. City attorney will decide.

[B2G]

6. Yes. The mayor was just talking about this on CNN. nt

[neeksgeek]

7. If it supports your claims, you'd release the video.

The fact that you're sitting on it makes it look like you're hiding something.

Charlotte resident here, I'm sending this to the mayor.

[moondust]

10. Is there a picture of the weapon?

Police most certainly have the weapon in their possession if there actually was one. They could easily release a picture of it so that the family and friends can at least confirm or deny that it belonged to the victim. Seems a little bit strange that they haven't released a picture of it already to support their case and try to defuse tensions.

ETA: BBC reports the Scott family says he was not armed and the police say they have the weapon.