Judge: Police video in UNC student's death to remain sealed

WRAL News, The Associated Press and UNC's student newspaper, The Daily Tar Heel, are among several media outlets that sought to make the evidence public.

Courtland Smith, a junior biology major from Houston, Texas, was killed early Aug. 23 after a police confrontation following a 911 call during which the 21-year-old repeatedly asked a Guilford County dispatcher to send help.

Archdale police stopped Smith on southbound Interstate 85 in Randolph County. A police report said Officer Jeremy Flinchum shot Smith after a confrontation.

In a 911 recording released by Guilford Metro 911, Smith said he was headed to Asheville. He told a dispatcher that he was drunk, had a 9-mm pistol with him and was trying to kill himself.

An officer can be heard in the 911 recording yelling at Smith to stay in the car, and the caller can be heard later saying, "I've got to pull something out."

The recording ends before the shooting, and the rest of the recording, as well as video footage from the dashboard camera of Flinchum's patrol car, have been sealed by court order.

Judge Brad Long reviewed the video and decided that releasing it would jeopardize the investigation.

Prosecutors had argued that the video isn't public record under state law and should remain under seal until the investigation of the case is completed.

North Carolina has never had a case dealing specifically with the release of dashboard camera video. The state's law outlining what items in a criminal investigation are public record was written before cameras were widely used in officers' cars.

The State Bureau of Investigation is reviewing the case, which is customary procedure in officer-involved shootings. Flinchum is on paid leave pending the outcome of the investigation.