The New York Attorney General's Office, led by Letitia James, has publicly released body-worn camera footage as part of the investigation into the death of Jumaane Wright, who was fatally shot during an encounter with NYPD officers in Brooklyn on April 29. In a move to promote transparency and strengthen public trust, the footage obtained in the ongoing investigation was made available yesterday, following James' directive to release such materials in matters involving the Office of Special Investigation (OSI).
The incident occurred shortly after 8 p.m. on the Belt Parkway near Rockaway Parkway. The released footage contains views from two body-worn cameras donned by officers who were engaged in the fatal encounter with Mr. Wright. The Attorney General's Office stated that, "The release of this footage is not an expression of any opinion as to the guilt or innocence of any party in a criminal matter or any opinion as to how or whether any individual may be charged with a crime." The objective remains to fully and transparently to investigate the officers' conduct during the incident that led to Wright's death.
Under New York State Executive Law Section 70-b, the OSI is tasked with assessing incidents reported to it where the actions—or lack thereof—of police or peace officers, whether on duty or off, perhaps have resulted in the death of a person. Regardless of whether the deceased was armed or unarmed, in custody or not, should OSI find the officer's involvement may have directly led to the death, a full investigation is launched.
It is important for viewers to pre-emptively be aware that the video could be disturbing due to its content. The Attorney General's Office issued a warning to accompany the footage, underscoring the sensitive nature of the materials that were released. The decision to make such graphic evidence public reflects an ongoing effort to maintain openness with the community while grappling with the complexities of police-involved fatalities.
