Everyone knows about North Carolina. A man by the name of Keith Lamont Scott was killed by police on September 20, in Charlotte. This case is a little different from the others in that the police officer who shot him was a black man himself.
I wasn’t there when the shooting happened. I, like everyone else, have only seen the video of it. I don’t know what was going through Scott’s mind at the time and I do not know what was going through the officer’s mind at the time.
I cannot definitively say what happened and who was right and who was wrong. However, the dashcam video, which although it doesn’t reveal much about what happened, could make a pretty compelling case in court, could be the last one we see from North Carolina.
North Carolina Governor Pat McCrory has signed a bill that went into effect on October 1 that has blocked the public from getting or viewing recordings from body cameras and dashcam cameras.
The decision for this bill came two months before the shooting actually took place, however, it couldn’t have come at a worse time for North Carolina. For it to occur right after a controversial shooting and the subsequent riots that followed, is just bad timing.
On top of that, the Charlotte police chief only released the videos due to immense pressure. More than likely, if it had been up to him, he would not have released the video so that all of America could see that there was no evidence that he said there would be.
Many people have commented that they cannot see Scott holding a gun at the time of his death, however there is also not enough evidence to for sure say he wasn’t hiding a gun. This video is the main piece of evidence that either side has and yet, with this new law, the public will not be able to see it.
It is important to note that there is still some video footage that has not been released. Even with the new law into effect, a judge can order for the videos to be released.
The government has an obligation to its people to remain transparent. It’s not just at a national level, but at a state and local level as well. This law takes away that transparency and forces Americans to rely on their government and the police. It allows people in power who feel like they are in a bad situation protect themselves.
I am not going to state who is at fault because I don’t really know. However, the police chief’s hesitancy to release the video raises red flags and with this new law, he will have the ability to protect himself more in the future. I’m not okay with that.
In a case like this, where a shooting raises up unrest and the American people feel as though an injustice has been done or even if they don’t really know what to think, it’s important for the police office to remain transparent.
Anyone who wishes to view the video will have to submit a formal, written request, which can take months to process and even then it would still be denied. Meanwhile, the civil unrest will grow worse with each day without the video, as evidenced by Charlotte.
At this point, North Carolina just looks like it’s trying to hide something from their citizens and with this new law, neither type of video would be available to the American public and it would be up to the police department’s disgression as to whether they release the video or not.
I can’t say whether the police officers’ lives were truly in danger or if they used unnecessary force. I can say, however, that withholding information from the public is an unnecessary way to keep power with police and officers and keep the public uneasy.
The new law took place on October 1, so if there are any more officer related shootings in North Carolina, don’t expect to see the video any time soon afterwards.
Laina Yost
Managing Editor