After the US Department of Justice announced that it would not charge the 2 officers, Louisiana attorney general Jeff Landry announced that the state of Louisiana would begin an investigation. Nearly two years later, in March 2018, Landry's office announced it would not bring charges against the officers stating that they acted in a "reasonable and justifiable manner". One of the two officers, officer Blane Salamoni, was fired for violating use of force policies, and the other officer, Howie Lake, received a three days duty suspension for "losing his temper".
The man who captured the incident with his cellphone and released the first video of the incident (Arthur Reed) was a former gang member who was a community activist. He trusted the police; and waited a full 16 hours after the murder to release his video because he wanted to see the police statement of what he personally witnessed. That statement never came. The incident would never have been brought to public attention if he had not released that cellphone video.
Repeated for emphasis: The incident would never have been brought to public attention if he had not released that cellphone video.
At least two other videos (one source claimed 4 or 5) have been seized by police and have not been made public. The police confiscated the convenience store's surveillance video which the store owner claims captured every second of the incident.
What about the body cams the two police officers were wearing? Neither of the two officers webcam videos were ever made available. Officially, they "fell off" during during the altercation. Well, how very convenient.
You carry a cellphone, right? Prepare yourself to record any and every encounter you have with police; no matter how seemingly routine or benign, especially if you've done absolutely nothing wrong.
You carry a cellphone, right? Prepare yourself to record any and every encounter you have with police; no matter how seemingly routine or benign, especially if you've done absolutely nothing wrong.
Alton Sterling, July 5, 2016
