City of Asheville seeks release of body-cam footage for clarity

From Staff Reports

 Asheville City Attorney Brad Branham has filed paperwork on behalf of the city asking a judge to release police body camera video taken during a May 13 arrest of a black man by three white Asheville Police Department officers in an incident that triggered a protest and allegations by the man’s fiancé, Carrie Speigle, and activists that the APD actions constituted an “assault.”

Meanwhile, Asheville television station WLOS (News 13) reported May 18,

“Fallout continues over the arrest of Devon (Lewis Rayshawn) Whitmire. The 27-year-old was involved in an altercation with Asheville Police Department officers as they attempted to serve a warrant and take him into custody on May 13.”

The three officers from the Asheville Police Department who handled the May 13 arrest of Devon Whitmire did so in textbook fashion and deserve accolades, rather than accusations of assault and racism in the aftermath, according to local FOP President Rondell Lance.

In a May 20 interview with the Daily Planet, Lance said

he had viewed the video (of the incident that was taken by Whitmire’s fiancé) several times, but hasn’t talked to anyone involved.

“I looked at it from the viewpoint… to determine the whole situation...”