In Leland, Mississippi, Attorney Ben Crump is advocating for the release of video footage from the early morning of March 21, when 17-year-old Kadarius Smith was fatally injured during a pursuit involving city police. Crump emphasized the importance of transparency, stating that the alleged dashcam video could provide clarity on the incident.
However, city officials have countered Crump's claims, asserting that there is no such footage available.
A former Alderman for the city of Leland seems to remember voting to approve dash and body cameras for the police department some years ago but wasn’t sure.
The public relations officer for the Mississippi Department of Public Safety said, “The Mississippi Highway Patrol CIB Division is investigating this incident, due to this being an open and ongoing investigation, no further comment will be made.”
A request for the release of the public records in this case was submitted, but as of this time, the request has gone unanswered.
During a Tuesday press conference in Leland, broadcast on Instagram from outside New Zion Baptist Church, located at 430 S, Broad St. Crump urged city authorities, including the mayor and the city attorney, to fulfill their responsibilities by disclosing any relevant video evidence.
He stressed that relying on the video footage would eliminate the need for speculation surrounding Smith's death.
Contradicting Crump's assertions, the city attorney informed the Press that Leland police vehicles are not equipped with dash cameras, and officers do not utilize body cameras.
This statement from city officials complicates the efforts to obtain visual evidence of the incident.
Smith's mother has made allegations that her son was struck by a Leland patrol car, citing tire track imprints visible on his autopsy photos as evidence.
Despite these claims and the public outcry for transparency, no police report pertaining to the incident has been made available to the public, leaving crucial details surrounding Smith's death unresolved.
The family of Kadarius Smith, a 17-yo who was run over by a Leland Police Department cruiser last month, is still awaiting transparency.
The Family asked how long must this community keep waiting for the truth, and suggested that any footage of this fatal encounter must be released to the public immediately.
Whether the footage exists or not is now in the hands of CIB
