County prosecutor says widow’s rights not violated in officer-shooting case

Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery said preventing a widow from seeing the video of her husband’s death is not violating her rights as a victim.

Laney Sweet and her attorneys have asked a judge to release the body cam video of Sweet’s husband, Daniel Shaver, being shot and killed by Mesa police officer Philip Brailsford. He is facing second degree murder charges in Shaver’s death. She said not seeing the video violates her rights as a victim.

Back in March, Sweet released an audio recording of a meeting she had with Montgomery. During the recording, Montgomery told Sweet that she could not see the video if she was going to discuss its contents with the media.

“I’m going to limit the information you get so that I don’t get in trouble by disseminating information to the public,” Montgomery said in the recording.

During a Wednesday press conference, Montgomery said Sweet’s rights are not being violated.

“There is no statutory law, case law, constitutional duty to sit down and share all the evidence that’s been gathered in the case with a victim of crime,” Montgomery said. “There is no legal basis to assert that a crime victim, in any case, must be able to review all of the evidence that’s been gathered by the state in order for them to be able to exercise their rights.”

Sweet claimed that Brailsford is receiving preferential treatment from prosecutors. Brailsford was fired in March after being charged in Shaver’s death.