UPDATE: Lafayette police shooting: State judge blocks release of Trayford Pellerin body cam footage
LAFAYETTE, La. (KLFY) A local judge is blocking the public from viewing police body camera footage and any other information related to the shooting death of Trayford Pellerin by Lafayette police.
This new development comes after Lafayette Mayor President Josh Guillory sent a letter of notification to the District Attorney’s office that he was making arrangements for the family of Trayford Pellerin to see the body cam video of what happened when he was shot and killed by Lafayette police.
Guillory says he is still committed to honoring his word to the family, but the judge’s order means the family can not see the video.
The 15th judicial district court has granted a temporary restraining order, restricting public access to the police body cam video or any other information related to the shooting death of Trayford Pellerin. That’s according to our partners at the daily advertiser.
Ronald Haley is the Pellerin family attorney.
“I’m very disappointed. I’m disappointed for the family than anything else. The hope was that this could be facilitated before the funeral so they could get some sense of closure.”
Officers were called to a convenience store off Evangeline Thruway nearly three weeks ago when then encountered Pellerin.
Authorities say he had a knife.
The city says officers tried to deescalate the situation and tried multiple times to subdue Pellerin using tasers.
A bystander took this video, the only video the public has seen of what happened that night.
It shows Pellerin walking away from several officers following him. When he approached the entrance of a convenience store, officers opened fire.
Haley says an independent autopsy recently showed Pellerin was shot ten times by police. The autopsy revealed there were no taser marks on his body.
“Regardless if you believe our version, or the limited version the police put out, everyone should be on the side of the truth and transparency.”
The temporary restraining order was requested by the attorneys representing three officers; they have have not been identified.
The attorneys argue the information on the shooting is not public record and that the officers are concerned about their privacy.
However, Haley says their names should be made public.
The Police Association of Lafayette Local #905 (PAL) clarified in a press release that they have had no involvement in the temporary restraining order, stressing that attorneys personally representing the police officers involved in the shooting were the ones that petitioned the court. PAL reiterated that they are not a party to the litigation.
“As with any criminal investigation the officers involved are afforded rights under our constitution and they have retained competent attorneys to represent them,” stated the release. “When the facts of the case are presented in its entirety we are confident a much better understanding will come of the split second decision those officers were faced with on this tragic night.”