City refuses to release body cam footage in fatal police shooting

Police Officer Timothy Corcoran shot and killed Shelly Porter III on Feb. 5.
Englewood police investigate the officer-involved shooting that happened Feb. 5, 2017, on the property of the former Englewood Inn on South Main Street. DeANGELO BYRD/STAFF

Englewood police investigate the officer-involved shooting that happened Feb. 5, 2017, on the property of the former Englewood Inn on South Main Street. DeANGELO BYRD/STAFF
Crime & Law
By Mark Gokavi
Feb 24, 2017
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The City of Englewood has refused to release body camera footage on the Feb. 5 shooting death of 41-year-old Shelly Porter III by police officer Timothy Corcoran, saying the release would spark a “media firestorm.”

In a letter outlining his refusal to release the footage to the Dayton Daily News, Englewood Law Director Michael P. McNamee said the resulting media coverage would “taint the prospective jury pool” and thus prejudice Corcoran’s right to a fair trial should he be charged.

“We have all seen the media firestorm that arises from almost identical incidents in this country on an almost routine basis,” McNamee wrote in a Feb. 10 letter to the attorneys representing the newspaper. “Second, the nature of that firestorm is almost universally negative toward the officer involved. There is no reason to expect a different public reaction in this case.”

ExploreWe’ve asked several media and legal experts about McNamee’s response. For the full story and more on the shooting itself, follow this link to our premium website, myDaytonDailyNews.com.
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Mark Gokavi