new-york-city criminal-procedure
Getting the bodycam video from NYPD for a traffic violation
<p>I got a bike ticket for going through a red light.
I don’t think I did. </p>

<p>The officer confirmed that he was wearing his body cam and that it was on. </p>

<p>How do I go about getting the bodycam video? I have been trying to obtain it through foil requests but they are unsuccessful: NYPD claims giving me the bodycam would interfere with my case. </p>

<p>IANAL, but I have some experience.  <strong><em>You are screwed.</em></strong>  Even if you are acquitted of the charges, you will have spent so much on lawyers, court, and other things that you will effectively have been punished.</p>

<ol>
<li>You need to decide whether you want to fight this or not.  If you choose not to fight this, you will limit your losses.</li>
<li>If you fight this, you need to hire a lawyer.  Advice from stackoverflow will not cut it.  The NYPD will use every trick in the book to keep you from apart from any exonerating evidence.</li>
<li>You are going to have to go court a lot.  The NYPD will try to wear you out with court appearances.</li>
<li>For the future, you should invest in a bike cam.  Just assume the cops won't give you their video and make your own.</li>
</ol>

<p>The cops don't necessarily have to give you the video footage, the prosecuting attorney does.  You are entitled to discovery before a trial of any exonerating evidence. The district attorney must furnish all evidence to you if it exists before trial and the cops may not supress it. You need to make a demand for discovery but the particulars of this process vary. </p>
