Activists seek release of video in fatal police shooting

[Omaha Steve]

Source: Chron

By Mihir Zaveri

Almost a year after a Harris County grand jury declined to indict a Houston police officer in the shooting of 26-year-old Jordan Baker, demonstrators gathered at HPD headquarters to demand the release of video footage they say could show the unarmed African-American man's death.

Baker was shot and killed on Jan. 16, 2014, by off-duty Houston police officer Juventino Castro.

Last December, the grand jury chose not to indict Castro on a crime, citing lack of evidence and prompting a string of protests in Houston that mirrored national protests against the deaths of African-American men at the hands of police - including that of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Mo.

Contents unclear

In a statement, HPD said: "The officer's action in this matter was determined to be within compliance with departmental policy and state law."

FULL story and excellent photo gallery at link.


Shere Dore, left, holds a sign as activist Deric Muhammad holds a press conference with other members of the black community to demand the Houston Police Department release a video of the Jordan Baker arrest video Monday, Nov. 30, 2015, in Houston. ( Michael Ciaglo / Houston Chronicle )

Read more: http://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/houston/article/Activists-seek-release-of-video-in-fatal-police-6666364.php

[Erich Bloodaxe BSN]

1. Is it time, or past time, that we sought laws that automatically make all dash or wearable videos

public domain within 30 days after a police shooting if charges are not pressed against the officer within that timeframe. Police are able to arrest and charge non-cops within minutes to a day or so, 30 days should be plenty of time to decide whether a shooting was arrest-worthy. And if those in power decide it's not, there should be no reason not to release the video.