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Community leaders demand release of police footage in Jabari Peoples’ death; mayor urges ALEA to act
Summary
Reverend Dr. Wayne Taft Harris Jr. and other community leaders called on state authorities to release body-worn camera footage and demanded reforms after the July fatal police shooting of Jabari Peoples; the mayor said the state agency (ALEA) is the custodian and urged it to make footage available to the family.
Reverend Dr. Wayne Taft Harris Jr. told the Homewood City Council on July 14 that a young man, Jabari Peoples, was killed by a Homewood police officer and accused city leaders of “silence, evasion, and delay,” demanding immediate public release of all materials related to the case.
Harris said the family and community must see the footage and asked the council to name the officer involved, issue a formal apology from the police chief to the family, and commit to reforms including an independent civilian review board, anti-racism training tied to funding, and revised use-of-force policies. “We will not shop where we are shot. We will not dine where we are denied justice,” he said.
Why it matters: Harris framed the call as both a demand for accountability and the start of planned protests, economic boycotts and demonstrations if the community’s requests are not met. The mayor and several council members responded later in the meeting, saying they join the call for timely, objective results but noted limits to the city’s legal authority.
Mayor (name not specified in the transcript) said the city does not control the requested footage and identified the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA) as the custodian. “Legally, we don't have the authority to release footage, and we're not the custodian of the footage. That is ALEA, and they are the only ones that can do it,” the mayor said, while urging ALEA to allow the family to view the footage as soon as possible.
Council comment and community concerns: Several council members expressed sympathy with the family and support for release of objective evidence. Councilor Simms praised the mayor’s leadership calling for release of the footage. Councilor Aleman and others thanked members of the public for speaking during the meeting’s public-comment portion. Councilor Simms also urged caution about targeting local small businesses with economic boycotts, saying many are locally owned and could suffer unintended harm.
What the city can and cannot do: No motion or vote to release footage was taken by the council during the meeting. The mayor said the city has made legal filings and is urging ALEA to act; the council’s comments were framed as public appeals and expressions of support for the family rather than formal directives.
Next steps and public reaction: Harris stated his group was organized and would pursue a campaign of rallies, sit-ins, vigils and an economic boycott if demands are not met. Council members and the mayor said they want “objective results to be made available to the family, and to the public as quickly as possible.” No timeline or formal action from the city council was adopted at the July 14 meeting.
Ending: The council did not take formal action on Harris’s demands at the meeting. City leaders said they will continue to press ALEA to release footage to the family and reiterated sympathy for those grieving.
