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After LSU football player accused cops of harassment, BRPD denies requests to make body camera video public

3 years 4 months 2 weeks ago Wednesday, November 11 2020 Nov 11, 2020 November 11, 2020 6:50 AM November 11, 2020 in News
Source: WBRZ Staff

BATON ROUGE - Three Baton Rouge police officers are on administrative leave after an LSU football player alleged he was 'violated' by law enforcement over the weekend.

The officers, whose names were not released, are on paid leave after the incident involving freshman wide receiver Koy Moore early Sunday morning. The student-athlete took to social media, where he put out a statement alleging officers drew their guns on him and aggressively searched him for drugs and a weapon without reason.

Moore added that he was eventually let go after telling officers he was an LSU football player.

LSU acknowledged Moore's claims and its support of Coach Ed Orgeron's statement.

LSU Athletic Director Scott Woodward also released a statement addressing the incident Monday afternoon.

"The safety and well-being of our student-athletes is our most important responsibility, and the details described by Koy Moore of his encounter with Baton Rouge Police on Saturday night are very troubling. We have engaged with Koy and his family, and the appropriate LSU officials are working with BRPD to help gather all of the facts of the incident. We have full faith BRPD will conduct a thorough and transparent investigation into the matter. We will continue to dedicate every available resource to supporting Koy and all other LSU student-athletes who are understandably upset. Black Americans should never be treated unjustly by law enforcement, and we will continue to do our part to help change systemic racism in America."

Legal advisors for Baton Rouge Police said the department will not release body camera video of the incident, citing it as an ongoing investigation.

In response to a Sunday night public records request from WBRZ seeking to obtain video from any of the three officers involved, the city's legal team responded Tuesday with a denial: The video "requested... [is] not subject to disclosure at this time under Louisiana public records law...because the video footage is part of an open internal affairs case."

However, a previous email from the city suggested the department could release the video "pursuant to the BRPD Public Release of Critical Incident Recording Policy." The policy, updated in 2018, promised a new Critical Incident Recording order to consider releasing video associated with high-profile incidents within 12 days.  

Police have not elaborated on if the incident involving Moore would qualify for being released under the critical incident directive. 

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