DURHAM, N.C (June 11, 2025) — A Durham County Superior Court Judge has ruled that all relevant police body camera footage from the April 16 protest at North Carolina Central University (NCCU) must be released to students challenging their arrest, with no restrictions on how it can be shared or used publicly.
The decision from Judge Michael J. O’Foghludha is a major win for Daniel Cole Atwood, Jose Andres Estrella, Moriah Flowers, and Makaila Tinsley, who were arrested during the student-led demonstration about poor housing conditions on campus. Atwood, Estrella, and Flowers are represented by Southern Coalition for Social Justice (SCSJ), and Tinsley is represented by Emancipate NC.
Attorneys asked the court to release all the footage from police because the public has a strong interest in seeing the full story. Since the protest, news coverage has been incomplete or misleading, sometimes falsely claiming that Atwood, Estrella, Flowers, and Tinsley were not connected to the university.
NCCU, represented by the North Carolina Department of Justice (NCDOJ), argued that only limited parts of the footage should be released and the public had no right to see the rest. The court rejected that argument, agreeing the full release was necessary to serve the public interest.
“This is a significant win for transparency, accountability, and our clients’ right to tell their side of the story,” said Dominique Erney, Counsel for Justice System Reform at SCSJ. “The public deserves to see what really happened during a peaceful demonstration on a public campus about student housing conditions—an issue of obvious and urgent public concern. We are pleased the Court recognized that police bodycam footage belongs to the people and that its release is necessary for a fair and informed public discourse.”
Dawn Blagrove, Executive Director and Attorney with Emancipate NC, stated the following: “The order making the video in this case public is a win for accountability and transparency. Our client and the students of NCCU have a right to exercise their constitutional right to gather and protest. We will continue to stand and fight against suppression of the people’s voice, wherever authoritarianism rears its head.”
Dillon Sharpe, Staff Attorney at Emancipate NC, said: “Our clients learned to exercise their constitutional rights and use their voice for positive change at NCCU. We want our youth to be empowered to create change and make a difference; to be inspired by past leaders who taught us to advocate for our community. We will continue to firmly defend their rights in court until these charges are resolved. They deserve to heal from the harm that has already occurred and continue their work as future leaders in the struggle.”
The footage — which will be released in the coming weeks — is expected to show key moments not previously made public leading up to the arrests and will help provide a clearer, more accurate picture of events that day.
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Southern Coalition for Social Justice, founded in 2007, partners with communities of color and economically disadvantaged communities in the South to defend and advance their political, social, and economic rights through the combination of legal advocacy, research, organizing, and communications. Learn more at southerncoalition.org and follow our work on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
Emancipate NC was founded on the knowledge that mass incarceration and structural racism harm all of us. Prison is state-sponsored violence. We are all complicit in its harms. As an organization, we are dedicated to shifting the narrative on racialized mass incarceration through litigation, community education, and mobilization. The mainstream narrative that criminalizes Black and Brown people must be transformed—so that we can all get free. Learn more at emancipatenc.org and follow us on Instagram.
Felecia Phillips Ollie DD (h.c.) is the inspiring leader and founder of The Equality Network LLC (TEN). With a background in coaching, travel, and a career in news, Felecia brings a unique perspective to promoting diversity and inclusion. Holding a Bachelor’s Degree in English/Communications, she is passionate about creating a more inclusive future. From graduating from Mississippi Valley State University to leading initiatives like the Washington State Department of Ecology’s Equal Employment Opportunity Program, Felecia is dedicated to making a positive impact. Join her journey on our blog as she shares insights and leads the charge for equity through The Equality Network.
