Civil Beat Law Center for the Public Interest v. Department of the Prosecuting Attorney

On April 5, 2021, after pursuing a stolen vehicle, police officers with the Honolulu Police Department fired multiple shots into the stopped vehicle, killing the driver Iremamber Sykap.  The Department of the Prosecuting Attorney refused to provide the public with timely access to body-worn camera footage of the incident.  At a press conference, the Prosecutor stated that, as a matter of policy, disclosure of such video footage should be delayed indefinitely until investigations into police officers are completed.  Because the Prosecutor’s policy is inconsistent with the presumption of access under the public records law, the Law Center challenged the Prosecutor’s policy and sought to compel disclosure of the video footage.  Civ. No. 1CCV-21-699.  The case was assigned to the Honorable Jeffrey P. Crabtree.  On November 16, Judge Crabtree ordered the Prosecuting Attorney to release the footage.

• Complaint (5/27/21)
• Answer (7/19/21)
• Prosecutor’s Motion for Summary Judgment (7/29/21)
  • CBLC Cross-Motion and Combined Memorandum in Support of Cross-Motion for Summary Judgment and in Opposition to Prosecutor’s Motion with Exhibits 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 (8/12/21)
  • Prosecutor’s Opposition to CBLC Cross-Motion (8/24/21)
  • CBLC Reply Memorandum in Support of Cross-Motion (8/27/21)
  • Ruling on Prosecutor’s Motion for Summary Judgment (9/30/21)
  • Ruling on the Law Center’s Cross-Motion for Summary Judgment (9/30/21)
  • Order Denying Defendant’s Motion for Summary Judgment (11/16/21)
  • Order Granting in Part and Denying in Part Plaintiff’s Cross-Motion for Summary Judgment (11/16/21)

Statement Regarding Release of Body-Worn Camera Footage (1/18/22)