Khalil Ferebee has had a lot to process over the past few days.
He lost his father. And his newborn son lost a grandfather.
“He never got a chance to meet him,” Ferebee told WUNC on Monday. “And that hurt my heart to the fullest. He’s going to grow up without even getting a chance to even know him really, besides of what people say, and not who he really was.”
Ferebee saw just 20 seconds of video. It showed his father’s killing by Pasquotank County sheriff’s deputies last Wednesday. Attorneys for the family say Brown was shot in the back of the head as he was trying to drive away.
“I really don't know the truth besides the video. But the video wasn't even what I expected. Because it's been edited,” Ferebee said. “It’s an execution. You want to see execution? You'll see that video.”
20 seconds of video was all the sheriff’s office showed Brown’s family and their attorneys.
They want to see more and they wanted to see it days ago. County officials have filed a request with the court so the footage could be released to the public, but ultimately, a judge will decide.
Political commentator and lawyer Bakari Sellers is one of the prominent attorneys who have joined the Brown family legal team. He says he’s never experienced a process for seeking body camera footage quite like this.
“I have never seen law enforcement redact a video, cut a video short at the beginning and end. Guard closely who can see it and blur out the fates face of law enforcement,” Sellers said. “Never seen anything like it. Ever.”
Protesters on the streets of Elizabeth City are also frustrated. On Monday night, they marched once again, calling for the full release of the video.
Family members and the attorneys for the family plan to hold a press conference around 11 a.m. Tuesday morning to announce their next steps. Attorney Ben Crump says they’ll reveal the findings of their independent autopsy.
