A group that calls for government transparency is urging Vermont law enforcement to release videos that show a sheriff’s deputy fatally shooting an unarmed man in Winooski last week.
The New England First Amendment Coalition wants officials to release body camera videos of the incident so the public can evaluate Franklin County Sheriff’s Deputy Nicholas Palmier’s decision to open fire on Jesse Beshaw, 29, after a brief foot chase Friday evening in downtown Winooski.
Beshaw, the subject of an arrest warrant for burglary and unlawful mischief, approached Palmier with his right hand behind his back and did not respond to Palmier’s verbal commands, Vermont State Police said. He was shot seven times and died at the scene.
“As more officers throughout the region begin using body and dash cams, it’s necessary for police departments to set a standard of transparency and trust,” NEFAC Executive Director Justin Silverman said in a prepared statement released Tuesday. “In police shooting cases such as this, there is a need for credibility and camera footage provides an important source of information for the public. The recordings in this case should be released as soon as possible so the public better understands how the shooting occurred and how law enforcement reacted.”
Seven Days is among the media outlets to request the footage. Winooski Police Chief Rick Hebert rejected the request, saying he believes the video falls under an exemption in the state public records law for records relevant to ongoing criminal investigations.
But the Winooski Police Department has not always been unwilling to release body camera footage from ongoing cases.
In June, the department released body camera footage that captured a brief car chase that left an officer with minor injuries. The department released the video within days of the incident — even as charges were pending against the accused driver.
Both the Chittenden County State’s Attorney’s Office and Vermont Attorney General’s Office will review the shooting, state police say.
The debate in Vermont comes as authorities in Tulsa, Okla., released video showing police fatally shoot an unarmed black man just days after the incident — and despite an ongoing investigation. That shooting has reignited the national debate about law enforcement tactics.
In May, Burlington police released body camera footage that captured one of their officers fatally shooting a mentally ill man who approached officers with a large knife after a standoff. Authorities deemed that shooting lawful.
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I had to say Mr Davis I am impressed with your daring to publish the facts about this extremely important matter. As I sent you all the info of my own personal “nightmare” over some of the same issues. My experience with these crooked individuals wearing badges and holding others accountable suggests the police will not produce any evidence of wrongdoing until theyve had time to tamper with it removing any signs of that wrong-doing or until the statute of limitations runs making any civil proceeding seeking remedy for damages too late. I once again offer the official records demonstrating this on-going issue in my own legal matter regarding the death of my wife in which she suffered an asthma attack and the dispatcher sent the ambulance to the wrong TOWN. My wife died 2 days later at 41 leaving our 11 year old son without a mother. In my case they also refused to produce the official records forcing me to file a subpoena. Only then did they produce PARTIAL records and only after they had been tampered with removing pertinent sections of the official records. The media refuses to publish my story sooo I started my own blog to share the recordings myself and the rest of the fraudulent official records will be released when litigation is over. I share with anyone interested at terencecampbell62@yahoo.com… Terence L. Campbell
In regards to the killing of Jesse Breshaw in Winooski by the Franklin County deputy, I have a couple specific questions. The first is:
• Why was the Franklin County sheriff even there?
• Why was he allowed to join the pursuit if he is?
More importantly, why was he the one who killed Breshaw, especially since he was out of his jurisdiction?
• Was there a previous history between Breshaw and Deputy Palmier, perhaps from Palmier’s time on the Winooski force?
In regards to the broader question of why do law enforcement personnel kill so many unarmed people, my questions are more general.
• Why are they trained to shoot to kill?
• What in their training makes them so trigger-happy?
http://vtdigger.org/2016/09/21/ron-jacobs-…