In Florida, police body cam video is public record.

But in Alabama, the state’s Supreme Court ruled in 2021 such video was not public record in this state, and you, the public, have no right to see it.

It was a ruling that hit home right here in Mobile just two years later.

Jay is Jawan Dallas, who died after being tased in MPD custody in July of 2023, one of several incidents that year involving the use of force against African American residents… force that ended in injury or death.

The tasing followed a struggle between Dallas and two Mobile police officers as the officers were investigating a complaint of an attempted break-in.

Dallas’ death galvanized many in Mobile’s black community, triggering protest gatherings, like this one at All Saints Episcopal Church in Midtown, attended by Dallas’ parents.

“We hope to inform the people about all the lies the Mobile police department has been telling since our son died,” said his mother, Christine Dallas said at that time, “and also to bring awareness to police corruption in Mobile.”

There was an investigation, one initiated by the city and conducted by former US Attorney Kenyen Brown… a process that brought even more public scrutiny.

And when a grand jury chose not to indict the officers involved, a civil case was brought to federal court, one that’s still pending.

All the while, Dallas’ family called for a public showing of the police body cam video.

And while a new law allowed family members to see it, it remains off limits to the public.

Which brings us to next Tuesday’s Mobile City Council meeting, and this entry number 11 on the agenda:

“Ty Burden- make a statement about the anniversary of Jawan Dallas’ death and request the video be made public.”

“I’m going to petition the president of the city council to have the administration to show the video to the public because we need to know what’s going on,” Ms. Burden told NBC 15 News Friday evening.

Burden, a local community organizer, says Dallas’ mother will be at Tuesday’s city council meeting, but won’t be able to speak because of the pending civil litigation. So she’ll be speaking instead.

“But I’m also speaking with some of the other mothers who lost their children to the police violence and so the mothers have questions,” she said.

This sore spot in Mobile’s recent past comes during Mobile’s mayoral campaign.

Burden said she and the family hope to capitalize on that fact.

“I hope it does become a campaign issue. Because, as we’re going for picking new leadership, we need to know. We need to talk about community policing, and we need to talk about things in our community that seems to be swept under the rug.”

Meanwhile, the family plans to hold a kid’s fun day and celebration of life honoring Dallas on Saturday, July 19th from 3 until 5 at the Fowl River House on Fowl River Road.