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If a civilian had been videotaped murdering a cop you can almost certainly bet the police would have released the video.
But when a cop is accused of murdering a civilian we discover the the cops, prosecutor and judge don't release the video?? Since when has a PROSECUTOR ever been concerned about a person getting a fair trial??? Jerry Cobb, a spokesman for the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office, said the videos were quite graphic. Before the judge's ruling, he expressed concern that publishing them could unfairly prejudice the defendant’s chance of getting a fair trial. Judge: Body-camera videos of Texas man's shooting by Mesa police officer won't be released Michael Kiefer, The Republic | azcentral.com 6:59 p.m. MST March 30, 2016 A Maricopa County Superior Court judge ruled that police body-camera videos capturing an officer's shooting of a Texas man at a Mesa hotel would not be shared with the media and the public. Susie Charbel, deputy county attorney, and defense attorney Craig Mehrens filed a joint motion March 25 requesting to have the videos sealed. On Tuesday, Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Sam Myers accepted the attorneys' motion. Interested parties have 10 days to appeal. Prosecutors allege Philip "Mitch" Brailsford used unjustified force when he shot and killed Daniel Shaver at a La Quinta Inn and Suites on Jan. 18. Brailsford, who is charged with second-degree murder, has been terminated from the Mesa Police Department. Video of shooting won't be released The shooting was captured on at least two police body cameras. Jerry Cobb, a spokesman for the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office, said the videos were quite graphic. Before the judge's ruling, he expressed concern that publishing them could unfairly prejudice the defendant’s chance of getting a fair trial. The joint motion also stated that the victim’s survivors should not have to face the public airing of the scene. And it accuses the media of wanting to “capitalize on the graphic nature of this case. … Defendant’s shooting of the victim, the victim asking to not be shot, the victim crying, the victim crawling on his hands and knees are urgent images with ‘broadcast value’ but the value is informational and ‘voyeuristic.’ ” Mehrens said, “People should not see people getting shot and killed. Period.” Mark Geragos, attorney for Shaver's widow, Laney Sweet, released a statement Wednesday evening saying they "vigorously oppose" the sealing of the video. "First, the Prosecutor refused to show the footage to the victim Laney Sweet, the widow of Daniel Shaver, and now, without consulting the victim, went into court to hide the footage from the public," said the statement from Geragos & Geragos, a Los Angeles-based law firm. The statement also alleges this action is at odds with the victim's rights included in the Arizona Constitution and Sweet's desires. "The request to seal the video of the murder of Daniel Shaver is, at best, grossly hypocritical, coming at the same time a sweetheart plea deal was offered to Phillip Brailsford and at the same time the Mesa PD selectively released information and reports to the press," according to the statement. Geragos said his law firm intends to file a motion with the court to unseal the video. It is understandable that a defense attorney would try to block dissemination of a video that might taint a jury pool. Nationwide, recent videos taken of police officers committing murder or other misconduct have been captured on citizen cameras or body cams, aired on social and traditional media and have resulted in charges against officers. “This is no cover-up,” Mehrens continued, noting that Brailsford had been charged with murder. “If this goes to trial, it will be played, and everyone will see it." Videos of murders often are obtained from surveillance cameras and other sources and are regularly played in court. And these particular videos are expected to be important pieces of evidence for prosecutors to use against Brailsford. Whether a judge will order that they be released to the public before a trial remains to be seen. More articles on the murder of Daniel Shaver by the Mesa Police
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