Charlotte Police Shooting: Why Nobody Has Seen the Video Yet | CLT Daily

Description

A month after a Charlotte-Mecklenburg police officer shot and killed Curtis Massey, his family marched Saturday to demand the body camera video. The police chief asked a judge to release it four days after the shooting. In North Carolina, only a judge can release it, and almost four weeks later there's no ruling. We explain how the law works, including a faster path families can use to see the footage privately. Also: CATS Micro on-demand vans reach west Charlotte for $2.20 a ride, King Arthur Baking picks SouthPark for its first North Carolina shop, Charlotte FC ends Philadelphia's win streak with a 2–2 draw, and the Panthers face an Eagles team without Jalen Hurts. Plus: The Great Gatsby's last night at the Belk.

CLT Daily — Charlotte's independent daily briefing. New episodes every morning. cltdaily.com

Sources this episode: WSOC, WBTV, WCCB, Charlotte Business Journal, The Charlotte Ledger, The Philadelphia Inquirer, Blumenthal Arts, N.C. General Statutes

CLT Daily is written, hosted and produced by Steve Bouboulis, an independent journalist covering the Queen City. Got a tip, a document, or a story the city isn't telling? Reach him on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevebouboulis/

Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Transcription

Speaker #0
Here's where to be tonight. A Broadway show that won a Tony for its costumes has one more day in Uptown, and a top local critic has a split verdict. Stick around, I'll tell you where, when, and what he said. But first, this is CLT Daily. I'm Steve Baboulis. It's Sunday, October 18th, your independent daily briefing for the Queen City. Today, a month after a Charlotte police officer shot and killed a man, the public still hasn't seen the video. and the police chief can't release it on her own. On Saturday, people marched to a Charlotte Police Division office for Curtis Massey. His aunt, Renee Steele, told WSOC, quote, Police, we don't trust you all anymore. Here's what we know. On September 18th, officers went to the Lincoln Heights area, just north of Uptown, on a disturbance call. Police say they saw what looked like a criminal transaction near a bus stop, and Massey ran. According to the department's court petition, he fell, dropped a gun, picked it up, kept running, and turned toward the officers. One officer shot him. He died at the scene. Chief Estella Patterson says a weapon was recovered. The State Bureau of Investigation is investigating. Massey's family says he was never a threat. Some marchers believe he was shot in the back. Sources told WSOC there were no wounds to his back. So why no video? In North Carolina, police body camera footage is not a public record. State law says it can be released only by court order, not the chief, a judge. Four days after the shooting, Chief Patterson asked a judge to release it. She said she'd watched it herself and that it, quote, provides critical context that will help the public understand what happened. She wasn't required to file that petition. She did. That was September 22nd. Almost four weeks later, I can't find any report that a judge has ruled. The law says release hearings should be set as soon as practicable and given priority. It sets no deadline. Before a judge rules, the district attorney gets notice and a chance to be heard. And so does any officer on the video. The judge can weigh whether release would hurt an active investigation or a fair trial. There's a second path most people don't know about. Under state law, a family member representing someone who died can ask to see, privately, the part of the video that shows the death. The agency has three business days to take that to court. And the judge, seven more to decide. I don't know whether Massey's family has asked, and this lands in a hard week. On Thursday, Chief Patterson confirmed six officers were on a racist text thread. A Massey relative told WSOC that's part of why people are watching this case so closely. Nobody has connected the officer in this shooting to that thread, and I won't imply otherwise. So, has a hearing been set? Who has asked to be heard? And has the family asked to see it? I'm asking the court and the department, and I'll tell you what I find. All right, here's what else you need to know today. Katz Micro is now running in West Charlotte. It's an on-demand van you book in the Katz app for $2.20 a ride. The West Zone covers Wilkinson and West Boulevard, reaching the airport, the VA clinic, and the farmer's market. It's the second of 19 zones planned over five years, paid for by last year's transit sales tax. King Arthur Baking is coming to South Park. The Charlotte Business Journal reports the Flower Company will open its first North Carolina pop-up shop on November 7th on Sharon Road, next to Snooze. It's planned to stay through early 2028 and sports. Charlotte FC drew 2-2 at Philadelphia on Saturday, ending the union's eight-game winning streak. The Panthers are in Philadelphia today, one o'clock on WBTV. The Eagles will be without quarterback Jalen Hurts, who has a blood clot, Tanner McKee starts. Now... As promised, The Great Gatsby, the Broadway musical, closes tonight at the Belk Theater on North Tryon. Shows are at 1 and 6.30, and the evening show has the best seats left. Tickets start around $47. As for that verdict, Lawrence Topman, writing for the Charlotte Ledger, calls the sets and costumes dazzling and the tap number a standout. But if you love the novel, he says the character work is, quote, stuffed into the trunk of this gaudy vehicle. Go for the spectacle. That's CLT Daily for Sunday, October 18th. I'm Steve Baboulis. We'll be back tomorrow. Same time, same city. Until then, Charlotte, take care of each other.

Description

CLT Daily — Charlotte's independent daily briefing. New episodes every morning. cltdaily.com

Sources this episode: WSOC, WBTV, WCCB, Charlotte Business Journal, The Charlotte Ledger, The Philadelphia Inquirer, Blumenthal Arts, N.C. General Statutes

Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Transcription

Speaker #0
Here's where to be tonight. A Broadway show that won a Tony for its costumes has one more day in Uptown, and a top local critic has a split verdict. Stick around, I'll tell you where, when, and what he said. But first, this is CLT Daily. I'm Steve Baboulis. It's Sunday, October 18th, your independent daily briefing for the Queen City. Today, a month after a Charlotte police officer shot and killed a man, the public still hasn't seen the video. and the police chief can't release it on her own. On Saturday, people marched to a Charlotte Police Division office for Curtis Massey. His aunt, Renee Steele, told WSOC, quote, Police, we don't trust you all anymore. Here's what we know. On September 18th, officers went to the Lincoln Heights area, just north of Uptown, on a disturbance call. Police say they saw what looked like a criminal transaction near a bus stop, and Massey ran. According to the department's court petition, he fell, dropped a gun, picked it up, kept running, and turned toward the officers. One officer shot him. He died at the scene. Chief Estella Patterson says a weapon was recovered. The State Bureau of Investigation is investigating. Massey's family says he was never a threat. Some marchers believe he was shot in the back. Sources told WSOC there were no wounds to his back. So why no video? In North Carolina, police body camera footage is not a public record. State law says it can be released only by court order, not the chief, a judge. Four days after the shooting, Chief Patterson asked a judge to release it. She said she'd watched it herself and that it, quote, provides critical context that will help the public understand what happened. She wasn't required to file that petition. She did. That was September 22nd. Almost four weeks later, I can't find any report that a judge has ruled. The law says release hearings should be set as soon as practicable and given priority. It sets no deadline. Before a judge rules, the district attorney gets notice and a chance to be heard. And so does any officer on the video. The judge can weigh whether release would hurt an active investigation or a fair trial. There's a second path most people don't know about. Under state law, a family member representing someone who died can ask to see, privately, the part of the video that shows the death. The agency has three business days to take that to court. And the judge, seven more to decide. I don't know whether Massey's family has asked, and this lands in a hard week. On Thursday, Chief Patterson confirmed six officers were on a racist text thread. A Massey relative told WSOC that's part of why people are watching this case so closely. Nobody has connected the officer in this shooting to that thread, and I won't imply otherwise. So, has a hearing been set? Who has asked to be heard? And has the family asked to see it? I'm asking the court and the department, and I'll tell you what I find. All right, here's what else you need to know today. Katz Micro is now running in West Charlotte. It's an on-demand van you book in the Katz app for $2.20 a ride. The West Zone covers Wilkinson and West Boulevard, reaching the airport, the VA clinic, and the farmer's market. It's the second of 19 zones planned over five years, paid for by last year's transit sales tax. King Arthur Baking is coming to South Park. The Charlotte Business Journal reports the Flower Company will open its first North Carolina pop-up shop on November 7th on Sharon Road, next to Snooze. It's planned to stay through early 2028 and sports. Charlotte FC drew 2-2 at Philadelphia on Saturday, ending the union's eight-game winning streak. The Panthers are in Philadelphia today, one o'clock on WBTV. The Eagles will be without quarterback Jalen Hurts, who has a blood clot, Tanner McKee starts. Now... As promised, The Great Gatsby, the Broadway musical, closes tonight at the Belk Theater on North Tryon. Shows are at 1 and 6.30, and the evening show has the best seats left. Tickets start around $47. As for that verdict, Lawrence Topman, writing for the Charlotte Ledger, calls the sets and costumes dazzling and the tap number a standout. But if you love the novel, he says the character work is, quote, stuffed into the trunk of this gaudy vehicle. Go for the spectacle. That's CLT Daily for Sunday, October 18th. I'm Steve Baboulis. We'll be back tomorrow. Same time, same city. Until then, Charlotte, take care of each other.

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