OKLAHOMA CITY – Rep. Sheila Dills, R-Tulsa, recently passed a bill in the House that would prohibit release to the public any audio or video recordings of a law enforcement official being shot or that depicts the death of the official.
Dills is House author of Senate Bill 968, which would allow access of these materials prior to a trial for the prosecution and defense and for certain immediate family members. Also, a judge may order the video released if the court finds that the public interest or the interest of an individual outweighs the reason for denial. The video and audio recordings may be used as evidence in the courtroom.
“We must protect the dignity of a law enforcement official,” Dills said. “We do not allow the public to view the execution of a criminal, and we should not allow the public to view the killing of a law enforcement officer unless the courts determine it is in the best interest of the public to do so. These types of videos have no redeeming value to society and should only be used to prove guilt or innocence in a courtroom.”
Dills said the bill was requested by the Tulsa County Sheriff and the Tulsa Police Department after the 2020 shooting an officer who died hours later in a Tulsa Hospital. Videos captured on the body cams of officers and on dash cams were extraordinarily graphic. Under current law, law enforcement agencies may redact the images that depict the death of a person before they release the video unless the death was affected by a law enforcement officer. In this case, the officer did not technically die on the scene, so the judge was forced to order the graphic video released to the media. Some media outlets thought the video was too graphic and redacted it, others did not. The public expressed outrage that such a video would be released.
A week ago, the jury selection process began in this trial. Dills said, as expected, it is difficult to find jurors who are not tainted by the pre-trial publicity of the video.
Sen. John Haste, R-Broken Arrow, is principal author of SB968.
“This is about protecting the dignity of our fallen heroes. Once these images are released, they are out there forever. The family and fellow officers are retraumatized, and it can actually cause problems with prosecuting the case, particularly with jury selection. It’s important to note that nothing in this bill restricts access by the prosecution or defense attorneys, “ Haste said. “I want to thank my House author, Representative Dills, for her work and for the members of both chambers who have supported this measure on behalf of Oklahoma’s law enforcement community.”
Dills said SB968 is supported by the City of Tulsa. The Oklahoma Press Association is neutral on the bill.
SB968 passed the House with a vote of 77-7 and now advances to the governor to await his consideration of signing it into law.
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