Randolph judge rules against releasing video in UNC student's fatal shooting
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
(Updated 10:49 pm)
A Randolph County judge ruled Tuesday against releasing dash-cam video taken by Archdale police cruisers on the night a UNC student was fatally shot by an officer.
Superior Court Judge Vance Bradford Long said that the release of the video would undermine the ongoing investigation and jeopardize the right of potential defendants to a fair trail.
See the full court order here.
The video does not show the shooting, but the interaction between Courtland B. Smith and officers before the shooting and the officers’ reaction after the shooting.
Smith, 21, was shot by Archdale police Officer Jeremy Flinchum after being stopped on Interstate 85 just before 5 a.m. Aug. 23.
He called 911 as he drove west at a high speed. In the 15-minute recording released by Guilford Metro 911 on Aug. 26, Smith can be heard telling a dispatcher that he was trying to kill himself, that he had been drinking and that he had a 9 mm handgun.
At least one of the two police cars on the scene had a dashboard video camera. Both cameras recorded portions of the incident prior to the shooting.
A Randolph County assistant district attorney had a judge seal the recording Aug. 25, and many media outlets requested the release of the video.
The State Bureau of Investigation is investigating Smith’s death.
Tuesday’s ruling states that it is likely that a decision will be announced as to whether to prosecute a defendant for Smith’s shooting within three to four months.
Accompanying Photos
Photo Caption: Courtland Smith
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