Judge: Release Video In Charlotte Police Shooting Of Suspect

A North Carolina judge has ordered the release of video showing a fatal shooting by Charlotte-Mecklenburg police in 2012. This is the second ruling since a controversial new state law took effect October 1st.

Mecklenburg County Superior Judge Lisa Bell ruled the police department must release the video to the Charlotte Observer.

The paper reports the footage relates to the killing of 28-year-old Michael Laney, whose family and police give conflicting accounts of what happened.

A prosecutor ruled officers were justified in the shooting. Family members said the shooting was unnecessary and officers overreacted.

This is the second time in as many weeks that the court approved a petition under North Carolina's law requiring a judge's approval to release footage from police body and dash cameras.

Earlier this month, another judge ordered the release of video in the June 2nd police shooting of Rodney Rodriguez Smith. That video has not yet been made available to the public.