Tulsa Judge Maintains Decision To Withhold Video Footage From Two Officers Shot Last Month

A Tulsa County judge keeps his order of not allowing the release of body camera footage of two Tulsa Police officers shot in the line of duty.

Monday’s decision comes after David Ware's attorney argued it should be shown to the public.

Kevin Adams, the attorney representing Ware, filed a motion asking the court to allow the release of body camera footage from the morning Tulsa Police Sgt. Craig Johnson and Officer Aurash Zarkeshan were shot. Johnson later died.

Adams argued the public has the right to see what led up to the shooting, because he said some of the information released by police and the District Attorney are not accurate.

Adams said the video shows Ware never stood over the officers as he shot them, a correction police made publicly that same day.

Adams also claims Ware feared for his life because he said the officers kicked him several times.

"I have a duty as an attorney to try to dispel the negative publicity that's been put out about my client and the inaccuracies and the falsehoods,” said Adams. “And I'm just blown away, I've never seen a prosecutor so embarrassed by their own evidence."

Despite Adams' request Monday, the judge maintained his earlier ruling that the video will not be released, but Adams can bring it up again during the preliminary hearing.

District Attorney Steve Kunzweiler said they will be trying the case in court and not the media.

"What you just heard was Mr. Adams having his ‘Access Hollywood’ moment,” said Kunzweiler. ”That's what you just witnessed. He's going to now join the ranks of Gloria Allred and that whole group of folks who make a living off getting in front of a camera and try to litigate their case before the media. That's not who the district attorney’s office is and we never will be."

Ware’s preliminary hearing is set for September 2nd.