Judge Rules Release of Additional Video Recordings in Parkland Mass Shooting
After ordering the release of video from exterior cameras captured during the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Judge Jeffrey Levenson has now ruled in favor of release of additional videos.
FORT LAUDERDALE—Today, Florida Circuit Judge Jeffrey R. Levenson granting a petition by a coalition of news media parties represented by Thomas & LoCicero PL, ordered the release of further exterior video footage of law enforcement’s response to the February 14, 2018 mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida.
On March 13, Judge Levenson originally ordered the release of exterior video footage showing former Broward Sheriff’s Office Deputy Scot Peterson’s response to the Parkland shooting. After further investigation, the news media parties, represented by Thomas & LoCicero, sought additional video recordings from the school showing other law enforcement response to the shooting.
On April 4, Judge Levenson held an evidentiary hearing to listen to arguments and witness testimony regarding the release of additional video footage. Following an in-camera review of the videos, today Judge Levenson held that the additional videos should be released because he found nothing that would impede the criminal investigation of Nikolas Cruz. The Court also ruled that the potential harm to the current security system at the high school is outweighed by the strong public interest in disclosure.
The news organizations represented by Thomas & LoCicero include Cable News Network Inc. (CNN); Miami Herald Media Company; Sun-Sentinel Company LLC; ABC, Inc.; The Associated Press; The Bradenton Herald; the First Amendment Foundation; the Florida Press Association; Gannett Company, Inc.; Los Angeles Times Communications, LLC; The New York Times Company; and Orlando Sentinel Communications Company, LLC.
With offices in Tampa and Fort Lauderdale, Thomas & LoCicero is a Florida law firm that is widely known, respected and committed to free speech and a free press. The firm represents the industry’s leading electronic and traditional publishers, as well as individual journalists, bloggers and influencers of social media on issues ranging from news gathering to invasion of privacy, from defamation to pre-publication review. At the heart of the firm’s mission is to champion free speech and defend journalism every day
