BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — The family of Jabari Peoples, the 18-year-old fatally shot by a Homewood police officer last week, is demanding the release of body camera footage as state investigators continue to withhold the video from both the family and the public.
Peoples was killed June 23 in the parking lot of the Homewood Soccer Complex during an encounter with police. The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA) is now handling the investigation and has not provided a timeline for when, or if, the footage will be released to the family. The family’s attorney, Leroy Maxwell Jr., said repeated requests to view the video have been denied, fueling frustration and suspicion in the community.
Under current Alabama law, police body camera footage is not considered a public record and is typically only disclosed to the person shown in the video or their legal representative. Law enforcement agencies can deny requests for access if they believe releasing the footage could interfere with an ongoing investigation or prosecution, and they are not required to provide a justification for withholding it. This legal framework has left families like the Peoples’ waiting indefinitely for answers.
The family’s calls for transparency have grown louder after an independent investigator’s preliminary findings indicated Peoples was shot in the back, raising further questions about the police account of the incident. Community members and advocates argue that the continued secrecy undermines trust and accountability.
Efforts are underway in the Alabama Legislature to change the law. A bill introduced earlier this year would make body camera footage a public record and require agencies to release it within 30 days of a written request, except when disclosure would “substantially interfere” with an investigation. However, the proposed legislation would not take effect until October 2025 if passed, leaving current cases subject to the existing, more restrictive rules.
For now, the Peoples family and their supporters say the lack of access to the footage only deepens their grief and suspicion. “The longer this family goes without seeing this video it creates distrust in law enforcement. It creates a sense that something is being hidden from this family,” said the family’s attorney in a public statement. The family has indicated they may pursue legal action if the video is not released soon.