Estimated read time: 1-2 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
SALT LAKE CITY — A bill to speed up the release of body-camera footage passed the Utah House on Monday in the wake of struggles with media and civil groups demanding the release of video in a high-profile shooting last year in Salt Lake City.
HB381 cleared the House on a unanimous vote after no debate. It now goes to the Senate.
The bill would allow direct appeals to district court if police or prosecutors reject a public record request for body-camera footage because of pending criminal action, allowing a judge to weigh whether public interest outweighs protecting it for criminal action.
The bill comes after video footage of the shooting of then-17-year-old Abdullahi "Abdi" Mohamed was held by Salt Lake County prosecutors for nearly a year before it was shown for the first time publicly in court in January.
Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill ruled the police officers involved in the shooting were justified.
Related
Body camera footage shown in court as case ordered to proceed against Abdi Mohamed
A judge has ruled there is probable cause that a man shot by two Salt Lake police officers last year was attempting to sell drugs to a man and then rob him when the shooting occurred.Following denied media requests on the basis of a pending criminal case, the American Civil Liberties Union sued for access to the footage but was denied, followed by months of appeals.
Bill sponsor Rep. Paul Ray, R-Clearfield, said the bill would allow a quicker and more direct process to avoid long battles over body-camera footage.
