Sheriffs flex muscle: A powerful lobby shaped NC's newest body-camera law

BY MANDY LOCKE, DANIELLE BATTAGLIA, NORTH CAROLINA NEWS COLLABORATIVE | UPDATED DECEMBER 8, 2021 6:13 AM

Members of the Legislative Black Caucus traveled to Andrew Brown Jr.’s funeral in Elizabeth City in May and asked his family a heavy question. 

How could North Carolina do better by families whose loved ones are killed by law enforcement, close to a half dozen legislators asked? 

Their answer: surer, swifter, fuller access to the sheriff’s department body camera video that revealed what happened. After sheriff’s deputies shot and killed Brown, his family waited days, then weeks to see only portions of the video capturing his death. 

“We talked to his family members and heard from them firsthand how frustrating it was not to have full access to unredacted footage after his death,” said Sen. Natalie Murdock, a Durham Democrat and caucus member who visited with Brown’s family. 

Read more at: https://www.gastongazette.com/story/news/2021/12/08/nc-sheriffs-association-change-access-police-body-camera-law/6414431001/