What footage beyond the bystander videos exists (bodycams, officer cameras, Pretti’s phone) and when will it be released?
Executive summary
The public record includes multiple types of footage beyond early bystander videos: officer body-worn camera clips, at least one pole-mounted surveillance (traffic) camera, dashcam and traffic camera recordings, and hours of additional audio and video released later; those materials were made public in staged releases beginning in late January 2023 and expanded by court order in early 2024 [1] [2] [3] [4] [5]. Reporting does not identify any publicly released footage from a person named Pretti’s phone in the available sources, and there is no clear sourcing in these reports about when any remaining unreleased individual-held phone footage might appear (no source).
1. Initial public releases: what appeared the night officials first opened the files
When Memphis first publicly disclosed footage in late January 2023 the city released a set of synchronized camera views that included three officer body‑worn camera videos and an overhead surveillance (pole-mounted) camera, plus a composite clip that many outlets combined for public viewing; those videos showed the core violent encounter and were distributed to the public on or about Jan. 27–28, 2023 [1] [2] [3] [6]. Major outlets reported the initial bundle contained roughly an hour of footage capturing the traffic stop, the brief pursuit and the three‑minute beating that became central to criminal charges [2] [1].
2. Other official camera sources identified in reporting
Beyond the early bodycam and pole camera clips, reporting and city statements confirm the existence of dash camera recordings and additional traffic‑camera footage tied to the Jan. 7, 2023 encounter; local outlets listed body cameras, dash cameras and traffic camera videos among materials that were later reviewed and released [7] [8]. Subsequent releases and court filings also produced audio recordings and surveillance material from other vantage points that revealed what officers and first responders said and did before and after the beating [4] [5].
3. Expanded release after legal challenges and court orders
A media coalition’s legal challenge and later judicial rulings forced broader disclosure: in January 2024 about 21 hours of additional audio and video recordings were ordered released, and the city subsequently provided thousands of pages of records after a court lifted earlier closure orders — the city disclosed 1,300 more pages in February 2024 as part of that process [4] [5]. Those materials added context — showing interactions among officers, paramedics and supervisors in the immediate aftermath — and revealed discrepancies between officer statements and body‑worn camera footage [5] [4].
4. What has not been documented in the reporting (Pretti’s phone and private-device footage)
Available sources in this collection do not document any released footage explicitly labeled as coming from “Pretti’s phone,” nor do they confirm whether private‑phone recordings held by bystanders or other officers remain in the city’s custody or will be released; the reporting is silent on that specific device or owner, so the public record here cannot confirm existence or release timing for any such phone footage (no source).
5. Timelines for release and the reasons for staged disclosures
The initial major release occurred in late January 2023, followed by a deliberate, legally compelled expansion in January–February 2024 after court rulings and media litigation compelled disclosure of additional hours and documents; city officials said they were reviewing materials for legally protected content before releasing them, which officials and the court cited as a reason for phased disclosure [1] [7] [5] [4]. Advocacy groups and the Nichols family’s attorneys framed the later releases as corrective transparency, and the media coalition’s successful challenge indicates the city resisted fuller disclosure until ordered by courts [5] [7].
6. What to expect next, and the limits of the public record
Given the pattern — initial selective releases followed by court‑ordered unsealing and document production — further materials tied to official camera systems and related documents were released through early 2024, but the sources do not announce any additional scheduled releases beyond those court‑ordered disclosures; whether further private‑device footage (if it exists) will be produced is not addressed in these reports, so the public record here cannot predict more releases or dates (p1_s1; [4]; no source).