The ACLU of Minnesota and Minneapolis NAACP today filed a lawsuit against the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension to force the release of footage from the fatal police shooting of Jamar Clark.
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The 24-year-old Jamar Clark died after he was shot November 15 by a Minneapolis officer during what authorities said was a struggle. Police say he was handcuffed, but witnesses at the scene have disputed that.
“Releasing any evidence, including video, prior to the completed investigation and prosecutorial review is detrimental to the case”, Bruce Gordon, spokesman for the Department of Public Safety said in a statement.
The suit specifically names the Minnesota Department of Public Safety, Mona Dohman (commissioner of public safety), Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (which is a division of the Departmetn of Public Safety) and Drew Evans (superintendent of criminal apprehension).
Clark’s death triggered demonstrations throughout the city – at Mall of America – and a takeover of the 4th Precinct police station on the city’s north side. “It’s entirely consistent with our democratic values for the public to demand government accountability and transparency when police use force, especially if it results in a life being taken”, he said.
On Nov. 23, investigators allowed Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton to view the videos of the shooting.
Black Lives Matter protesters held several rallies and even marched on Interstate 94 one evening, blocking traffic and leading to dozens of arrests. A lawyer said Clark had control of an officer’s gun.
“The withheld videos may shed significant light on the numerous witness accounts of the incident that state that Clark was restrained when he was shot to death by the police”.
The Minneapolis chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and the American Civil Liberties Union of Minnesota brought the lawsuit, which was filed on Tuesday in Hennepin County District Court.
The lawsuit asks that any and all videos be released as soon as possible “because the benefit to the public from release of the Videos greatly outweighs any potential harm to the public, to the BCA, and to the individuals captured on the Videos”.
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Officials with the U.S. Department of Justice are investigating whether Clark’s shooting was a civil rights violation.
