New York Attorney General Letitia James has made public police body-worn camera footage as part of an investigation into the death of James Dellea. Dellea died on September 11, 2024, following an encounter with New York State Police (NYSP) officers in Saratoga County.
On that day, NYSP troopers responded to a 911 call and followed Mr. Dellea to a parking lot on State Route 9. As troopers approached his vehicle, they found him holding a long gun. During this interaction, an off-duty trooper fired his weapon at Mr. Dellea, who was declared dead at the scene. A long gun was recovered by the troopers at the location.
The Office of Special Investigation (OSI) from the Attorney General's Office released the footage captured by NYSP body cameras during the incident. This action aligns with Attorney General James' directive for transparency and public trust by releasing such footage during OSI investigations.
According to New York State Executive Law Section 70-b, OSI evaluates each incident where a police or peace officer may have caused a person's death through actions or omissions. The law applies regardless of whether the officer is on duty or off duty and whether the decedent was armed or unarmed, in custody or not. If OSI determines an officer might have caused the death, it conducts a full investigation.
Attorney General James clarified that releasing this footage does not imply any opinion regarding guilt or innocence in criminal matters or potential charges against individuals.
"Warning: This video contains content that viewers may find disturbing."