For those that think Chief Jackson should not have released the convenience store robbery and assault videos, or that this truth somehow "smears" the reputation of MB, consider this thought experiment.
Assume for a minute MB and DJ entered the same liquor/ convenience store. Instead of robbing the store of cigarillos, and assaulting the clerk, pretend MB selected some snacks and a soft drink. Pretend MB brought the items to the register, and paid for them. And pretend that during that process, the clerk, the same small man, came around the counter (to where we could see him clearly on video) felt ill, grabbed his own chest, and collapsed to the floor. Picture MB concerned, and immediately dropping to his knees to render aid, to see if the man needed help, and if he was breathing. Then picture Big Mike pulling out his cell phone to call 911 to get an ambulance for the collapsed shopkeeper. The ambulance arrives, takes the clerk off in a stretcher, and MB and DJ exit the store thru the front door. And assume that all that was recorded on about 4 different video surveillance cameras.
Now continue the thought experiment to include all of what happened during their stroll down the middle of the street, and the encounter with OW, that resulted in MB assaulting the officer in his patrol vehicle, and struggling to take his weapon, and the officer shooting MB and killing him.
Would that hypothetical convenience store video surveillance video have been relevant to what happened 10 min later? Should it be suppressed, since no crime was committed? Should it be released, because it shows exactly what a Gentle Giant and a kind man MB was 10 min before his death? Should it be suppressed because the hypothetical video shows MB in a positive light? Would THAT kind of a video be relevant, or irrelevant?
The truth is the truth. And the truth always shows what kind of a person someone really is. In this case, the truth is that MB was committing strong arm robbery and assault 10 min before the encounter where he died. Hugely relevant.
The video shows us exactly what kind of mindset MB was in 10 min before the encounter that directly lead to his death. It wasn't a shoplifting video from years ago-- it was 10 minutes before the encounter with OW. Ten minutes. Highly, highly relevant. And it would be beyond irresponsible to not release it, IMO.
And I would feel exactly the same if the video was the "hypothetical" in my thought experiment. It was released, as it should have been. And IMO, it should have been released before all the riots, burning, and looting occurred. Earlier release may have squelched the riots, saved store property, and prevented the police overtime for the riots, had it been released and handled more promptly, and more transparently from the very beginning.
