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DeSoto jurors ask Attorney General whether private‑event security footage must be redacted
Summary
The jury voted to seek an Attorney General opinion on whether security camera footage from a private event held in a public building should be released with faces redacted; legal counsel said the law is unclear and preservation obligations apply to responsive footage.
The DeSoto Parish Police Jury voted to ask the Louisiana Attorney General for guidance on whether security footage of a private event held in a public facility must be provided to requesters in redacted (faces blurred) or unredacted form. Legal counsel told jurors the statute requires disclosure of certain public records but that a person’s privacy interest at a private event inside a public building remains a close question that has not been definitively resolved by statute or case law.
Counsel explained an agreement had been reached voluntarily in this case in which media representatives blurred faces, but recommended the jury get an official opinion to provide clear direction for future public‑records requests. Jurors asked staff to preserve the video while the advisory opinion is sought; staff confirmed they would not allow automatic overwriting of recorded footage while the request and investigation are active.
What happens next: The parish will transmit a request for an Attorney General opinion and will preserve the relevant video files and metadata pending that guidance and any responsive public‑records processing.
