Attorneys Dismiss Petition After Viewing Bodycam Footage in Alabama Shooting Case

HOMEWOOD, Alabama — Attorneys for the family of Jabari Peoples, a teenager fatally shot by police, have withdrawn their Rule 27 petition against the city of Homewood.

The petition aimed to preserve evidence and determine parties involved as the family considered a potential wrongful death lawsuit. It sought access to body camera footage, incident reports, and the names of officers involved.

On Thursday, Peoples’ attorneys viewed bodycam footage provided by the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency to Jefferson County Presiding Judge Elisabeth French. After reviewing the footage, they requested to dismiss the petition, and Judge French approved the request.

Leroy Maxwell, an attorney representing Peoples’ family, noted, “The Rule 27 petition worked. We were able to view and preserve footage.”

Maxwell expressed their focus on preparing a federal lawsuit following the dismissal of the petition. Jefferson County District Attorney Danny Carr addressed the situation, asserting his commitment to transparency. “It’s clear today that video had not been altered, that nothing underhanded had been done,” Carr stated.

Activist and civil rights attorney Ben Crump previously criticized the video shown to the family, calling it a “short clip of an ALEA edited video.” He argued that full transparency is essential, stating, “This is not an open and shut case.”

According to Carr, the video depicted events leading up to the shooting, including interactions between Peoples and police officers. He confirmed the officer involved is a Black man and described the circumstances of the incident, which escalated after an officer detected marijuana in the vehicle.

Peoples was shot once in the lower left side of his back during a struggle with the officer. The incident has sparked protests in the community, demanding accountability and justice for the family.

Peoples, who was set to graduate in 2024 from Aliceville High School, was a promising student and athlete, studying criminal justice at Alabama A&M University.