BOISE, Idaho — Boise Mayor Lauren McLean's office called for the release of body camera footage from three recent police shootings Monday. The request was quickly met with a public response from the Ada County Prosecutors Office.
The Mayor's Office says a letter was sent to the Ada County Prosecutors Office asking for the videos to be made public.
The news release from Mayor McLean's office said in part, "I know these incidents have created feelings of uncertainty and anxiety for members of our community. I also understand the public’s frustration when it comes to body camera footage – it can often be months before the images are released."
The Ada County Prosecuting Attorney's Office responded shortly after saying, "Premature release of any evidence in criminal investigations violates the due process rights of those who may be charged and prevents a fair trial. We will not be party to impeding the pursuit of justice."
The Boise Police Department recently held a roundtable discussion with media organizations on how the investigation into police shootings works. Any available on-body camera video is provided to the Critical Incident Task Force and then is generally made available for public release at the conclusion of the CITF investigation and after all prosecutorial needs are met to ensure a fair trial in the event of criminal charges against an officer or the suspect.
You can read the full statement from Mayor McLean's office by clicking here.
