LAS VEGAS, Nev. (FOX5) – Attorneys for the Clark County School District released 1,967 pages surrounding the 2023 police confrontation with students outside Durango High School, where an officer was seen slamming a student to the ground.
Earlier this year, a judge ordered CCSD to release the body camera video of the February 9, 2023 incident, all the result of a lawsuit by the American Civil Liberties Union.
The suit also led to the release of close to 2,000 pages of documents. CCSD attorneys, through the communications department, released the documents today shortly before 5 p.m. Friday “in the spirit of transparency.”
Many of the documents include correspondence from FOX5, the ACLU and other media outlets requesting the incident report and body camera video. Officials from CCSD replied to various requests stating that an investigation involving juveniles was “privileged” and “confidential” information and denied the requests.
Amid the hundreds of pages, internal correspondence from police in late February asks about policy regarding the release of body camera footage, looking to Las Vegas Metropolitan Police for guidance.
“We follow the lead with LVMPD on their releases from IA cases. If they release, then we would,” said CCSD Police Chief Blackeye to officers in an email.
Officer Mingo replied to the series of emails with clarification: LVMPD does not release bodyworn camera video during an investigation; the exception is made for officer-involved shootings before the impact of a shot fired for department transparency. Mingo said CCSD’s legal department was looped in on how they should proceed.
“What would we gain by releasing the footage?” replied Lt. Brian Zink, voicing concerns about the impact on the investigation, and agreed with a decision to release the footage once the investigation was closed. FOX5 called Lt. Zink for information on his comment.
Even after the case was fully investigated and no officers were disciplined, CCSD still did not release the body camera footage.
FOX5 finally reviewed the body camera video earlier this year.
The ACLU sent FOX5 this statement surrounding the documents:
“After prevailing in court against CCSD, we are in receipt of emails related to the violent attack on our Durango High School clients by CCSD police. It’s absurd CCSD forced us to sue them for these records, but as we said, we are happy to challenge any government entity that so brazenly disrespects the community. It will take time to review the records that were provided as well as the privileges the district asserted to withhold others. We intend on following up after this review is complete.”
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