The North Carolina speaker of the house said Thursday the reason the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department has not released surveillance video of a police-related shooting may be a wrinkle in the law.
Tim Moore said House Bill 972, signed into law July 11, would give any person or representative of a person filmed in a body-worn or dashboard camera the right to submit a written request for the recording.
But that law does not go into effect until Oct. 1, just over a week away. Protesters in Charlotte want officials to release video of the events surrounding Keith Lamont Scott’s Tuesday death as soon as possible.
“So, right now, we are dealing with a period prior to that law. And it’s right now entirely up to the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department whether or not they release that video,” Moore said.
Under the law, surveillance must be handed over to the requester within three business days of the request. If he or she is denied, the requester is entitled to an expedited hearing in Superior Court, according a July press release from McCrory’s office.
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Chief Kerr Putney has said releasing police dash cam and body camera footage of Scott’s killing could undermine their investigation and taint a possible jury. He added the video will be made public when there is a “compelling reason” to do so. That compelling reason may come on Oct. 1.
