Victory for defense in case of body cam and dash cam videos destroyed

LAKE CHARLES, La. (KPLC) -State District Judge Ron Ware finds in favor of defense attorneys in the case of Joey Julian, who’s charged with second-degree murder in a downtown Lake Charles shooting in 2017.

Defense attorneys Adam Johnson and Todd Clemons expressed outrage that dash cam and body cam video from the scene was destroyed.

The State says the video was destroyed in the regular course of business because it cannot be kept forever, and no one had asked that it be saved.

The judge ruled that during Julian’s trial, jurors will be alerted several times that 15 dash cam videos and 25 body cam videos were destroyed by police.

For details of what the defense asked for, which was granted by the judge click here. The actual ruling is here.

Calcasieu District Attorney John DeRosier says he disagrees with Ware’s ruling on numerous levels and will appeal. For more on the state’s position on the videos destroyed click here.