A bill that would alter how police body camera footage can be viewed by the public has passed the Maryland Senate.
The legislation would prevent the public from viewing footage that depicts a victim of rape, sexual assault, or domestic violence, or depicts the death of a law enforcement officer in the line of duty. Body-worn digital recordings can include images of survivors following some of the most traumatic and difficult times in their lives and care should be taken to ensure the justice system does not add to that trauma by publicly disclosing body camera footage. At the same time, recordings can provide important information about how victims are treated. This bill balances these concerns and addresses a gap in the current public information act law.
During a hearing in January, Lisae C. Jordan, MCASA's Executive Director, testified in support of the bill saying it would do a great deal of good for survivors of sex crimes and other abuse. Survivors of sexual assault rarely contact law enforcement in the first place, and they would feel even less safe knowing body camera footage would be available to the public.
“Imagine the case where someone does reach out to law enforcement, and the survivor— perhaps bloody, bruised, perhaps partially clothed, and definitely traumatized— and all of that is captured on the body camera footage.”
- Lisae C. Jordan
This bill is being heard in the House on Tuesday, March 22.
Please ask members of the Judiciary Committee to
vote favorably on SB31
to protect survivor privacy.
MARYLAND HOUSE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE
Leadership:
Luke H. Clippinger, Chair (District 46, Baltimore City)
Phone: (410) 841-3488 | (301) 858-3488
E-mail: [email protected]
David Moon (District 20, Montgomery County)
Phone: (410) 841-3474 | (301) 858-3474
E-mail: [email protected]
Members:
Curt Anderson (District 43, Baltimore City)
Phone: (410) 841-3291 | (301) 858-3291
E-mail: [email protected]
Lauren C. Arikan (District 7, Baltimore County & Harford County)
Phone: (410) 841-3334 | (301) 858-3334
E-mail: [email protected]
J. Sandy Bartlett (District 32, Anne Arundel County)
Phone: (410) 841-3370 | (301) 858-3370
E-mail: [email protected]
Jon S. Cardin (District 11, Baltimore County)
Phone: (410) 841-3054 | (301) 858-3054
E-mail: [email protected]
Frank M. Conaway, Jr. (District 40, Baltimore City)
Phone: (410) 841-3189 | (301) 858-3189
E-mail: [email protected]
Daniel L. Cox (District 4, Carroll & Frederick Counties)
Phone: (410) 841-3288 | (301) 858-3288
E-mail: [email protected]
Charlotte Crutchfield (District 19, Montgomery County)
Phone: (410) 841-3485 | (301) 858-3485
E-mail: [email protected]
Debra M. Davis (District 28, Charles County)
Phone: (410) 841-3337 | (301) 858-3337
E-mail: [email protected]
Wanika B. Fisher (District 47B, Prince George's Counties)
Phone: (410) 841-3340 | (301) 858-3340
E-mail: [email protected]
Robin L. Grammer, Jr. (District 6, Baltimore County)
Phone: (410) 841-3298 | (301) 858-3298
E-mail: [email protected]
Faye Martin Howell (District 24, Prince George's County)
Phone: (410) 841-3692 | (301) 858-3692
E-mail: [email protected]
Rachel R. Jones (District 27B, Calvert & Prince George's Counties)
Phone: (410) 841-3103 | (301) 858-3103
E-mail: [email protected]
Lesley J. Lopez (District 39, Montgomery County)
Phone: (410) 841-3021 | (301) 858-3021
E-mail: [email protected]
Susan K. McComas (District 34B, Harford County)
Phone: (410) 841-3272 | (301) 858-3272
E-mail: [email protected]
Rachel Munoz (District 33, Anne Arundel County)
Phone: (410) 841-3510 | (301) 858-3510
E-mail: [email protected]
Emily K. Shetty (District 18, Montgomery County)
Phone: (410) 841-3181 | (301) 858-3181
E-mail: [email protected]
Haven Shoemaker (District 5, Carroll County)
Phone: (410) 841-3359 | (301) 858-3359
E-mail: [email protected]
Brenda J. Thiam (District 2B, Washington County)
Phone: (410) 841-3125 | (301) 858-3125
E-mail: [email protected]
Karen Toles (District 25, Prince George's County)
Phone: (410) 841-3524 | (301) 858-3524
E-mail: [email protected]
Nicole A. Williams (District 22, Prince George's County)
Phone: (410) 841-3058 | (301) 858-3058
E-mail: [email protected]
