Dash camera footage sparks outrage in Kyren Lacy case

SHREVEPORT, La. (KTAL/KMSS) — Continuing the coverage of the Kyren Lacy story, after Louisiana state police released dash camera footage of the hit-and-run crash, many are questioning the court of public opinion.
Families and friends remain frustrated but are intentionally seeking justice for K2.

Attorney at law, Shaunte Wells, says when it comes to the court of public opinion, social media and conversation circles often shape the public narrative way before the facts do.

“The court of public opinion really comes from social media, barbershop conversations, beauty shop conversations, and church conversations. I think it goes a long way in shaping how people think about it,” said Shaunte Wells.

He says evidence of wrongdoing is often slow to surface, and sometimes even buried for months.

“Proof of officer wrongdoing or some type of misconduct is often buried. Sometimes it doesn’t come to light unless the attorneys involved have been diligent in going through every piece of evidence. You can tell that just by how long it took for that to come out,” said Shaunte Wells.

As this new footage finally comes to light, therapist Natasha fields it, which lacks transparency, which adds to the emotional toll of this case, for those who want justice for K2. Fields says race and status cannot be ignored in this case.

“The stress that this young man encountered as a result of the bashing and cruelty that we’ve all seen on social media contributed to his death. When you go from that high high to that low low, the fall is more extreme,” said licensed therapist Natasha Fields.

“We’re in Louisiana, in the deep south. We’d be crazy not to think that the color of this young man’s skin and his success didn’t contribute to how officers perceived him,” said Natasha Fields.

In response to the outrage, Louisiana state democratic lawmakers are introducing the “Lacy law,” pushing for faster public release of body camera footage and more apparent investigation timelines.
State representative Joy Walters released a statement saying:
“We must commit ourselves to the truth, fairness, and protection of every Louisianan’s rights to be seen as fully human.

“Once it’s brought to the public, once some type of complaint is filed, then a higher authority will look into it. There’s a bunch of information, a bunch of evidence, and it all doesn’t come through at the same time,” said Shaunte Wells.

Both wells and fields say Lacy’s story shows why transparency matters.