Council Member On Officer Shooting Investigation: DA 'Screwing This Up'
DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) - A Dallas city councilman is demanding 911 calls and any police videos be released in the case involving former officer Amber Guyger's deadly shooting of Botham Jean in his apartment last month.
Councilman Philip Kingston said he is unhappy with the way the investigation into the Botham Jean shooting is being handled, going so far as to accuse Dallas County District Attorney Faith Johnson of, "screwing this up."
Kingston responded to news the DA will not release 911 calls, radio calls or any possible police body cam videos that exist or Amber Guyger's personnel records during her time as an officer.
The transmissions made by Guyger in the moments after the shooting are key evidence to prove or disprove her story that she mistakenly walked into the wrong apartment directly above hers at the South Side Flats and mistook Botham Jean for a burglar when she shot and killed him.
Kingston told CBS 11 after Wednesday's city council meeting, it makes the city look bad that nearly a month after the shooting so little information is being released.
He blames Dallas Police Chief Renee Hall and DA Johnson.
"I think the investigation is over and I think we need to start being transparent with the information these decision makers are looking at because they've all said we want transparency, we want transparency, we want transparency, but they're actions are 180 degrees from that," said Kingston.
CBS 11 received a response from the DA's office which said Kingston's comments would only fuel the argument for a change of venue in the case if there's an indictment and trial:
"Case law regarding venue change mandates no pretrial release of evidence that could influence potential jurors and render them unable to return a fair and impartial verdict in any potential criminal trial. See e.g. Gonzalez v. State, 222 S.W. 3d 446. This law includes non-disclosure of all of the described. This potential case should be tried in Dallas County, not some contiguous county where the interests of justice are not as compelling. The DAs office is following the law in its effort to seek fair and impartial jurors in any potential trial regarding this tragic matter."
MORE COVERAGE HERE:
Video Of Off-Duty Officer Amber Guyger Booked On Manslaughter Charge Released
Funeral Held For Botham Jean, Man Killed In Apartment By DPD Officer
Family To Dallas Officer Who Shot Son In His Apartment: 'Come Clean'
Protesters Angered By Deadly Dallas Officer Shooting Interrupt Council Meeting
Multiple Criminal Defense Lawyers See No Crime In Off-Duty Officer Shooting
Dallas Faith Community On Death Of Botham Jean: 'Just Feels So Wrong'
Minister From Botham Jean's Church Says 'Sadness Can't Be Erased'