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The police body camera and dashboard footage recorded as part of the investigations into the deaths of Daniel Prude and Troy Hodge were released to the public on Friday.
The 11 videos were released through New York Attorney General Letitia James’ Special Investigation and Prosecution Unit, and they show interactions between the Prude and Rochester Police and the Hodge and Lockport Police. James said the decision was taken to increase transparency.
“Our criminal justice system needs significant reform to restore trust between the police and the communities they serve,” she said in a statement. “The key to this reform is increased transparency, which is why I am proactively posting video footage of our active investigations into police killings. All of our communities deserve transparency, accountability and justice, and I believe this is a critical step in moving us forward. “
Prude, a 41-year-old black man, died in March, a week after police officers placed a hood over his head to prevent him from spitting on it. He was held down for about two minutes before he stopped breathing.
Rochester officers found Prude, who was visiting a family in Chicago, running naked down the street around 3 a.m. on March 23.
He died of asphyxiation and his death was found to be homicidal. Prude’s family released camera footage of the police body of the September incident, which sparked protests with riots, the resignation of several officials, including the town’s police chief, and the suspension of seven officers.
Videos posted by James’ office show the meeting from the perspective of Officers Mark Vaughn, Andrew Specksgoor, Josiah Harris, Troy Taladay and Santiago Francisco, and Sgt. Michael Magri. They were among the officers suspended with pay.
The footage adds no new information to the case, which is still under investigation by the attorney general.
Hodge died after meeting with members of the Lockport Police Department and the Niagara County Sheriff’s Office. Authorities said they responded to a call to an “uncontrollable” person on June 15, 2019 and located the 39-year-old, WKBW-TV reported.
The five videos show the perspective of the officers who arrived while other officers were with Hodge. The footage shows several officers pinning Hodge to the ground. An officer appears to have one foot on Hodge’s neck.
“Don’t kill me, man,” Hodge said.
“No one is going to kill you,” replies an officer.
As he continues to struggle, an officer says, “We’re trying to help you here. You’re on to some things we need to get rid of.”
He eventually loses consciousness. A paramedic arrives and says she can’t find a pulse. Hodge was taken to hospital where he was pronounced dead. An autopsy revealed that he died of “homicide and acute cocaine poisoning,” according to the newspaper.
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Both deaths are under investigation by James’ office.
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