In response to inquiries from the media about video footage recently provided to Southern Torch, DeKalb County Sheriff Nick Welden shared the following public statement:

"Kevin Smith of the Rainsville Police Department contacted our investigations division in June of this year.  He asked for our assistance in investigating a case concerning one of his officers allegedly being threatened on a traffic stop.  During the course of this investigation, Kevin Smith provided our chief investigator a copy of the officer’s body camera footage that contained this traffic stop.  This camera footage is and has been in the constant care, custody, and control of the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department’s investigations division since that time.  When asked by the media to release this footage, this office declined the request.  The Sheriff’s Office does not feel that this is our video to release.  We feel that the video is the property of Kevin Smith and the Rainsville Police Department.

In short, the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office did not release this video period."