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In Colorado criminal cases, police body camera footage can be the turning point between a conviction and a dismissal of the charge. With law enforcement agencies across the state, including in Denver, now required to wear and activate body cameras during most public interactions, this digital evidence has become central to building a strong defense strategy.
But here’s the truth: body camera footage doesn’t always tell the whole story—and sometimes, it gets withheld, misrepresented, or mysteriously “lost.”
At The Law Offices of Steven J. Pisani, we understand how to leverage this critical evidence to our clients’ advantage. With over a decade of experience in Denver criminal defense, Attorney Steven J. Pisani has reviewed countless hours of police video, exposing inconsistencies, highlighting civil rights violations, and challenging the narrative presented by law enforcement.
“In today’s courtroom, body cam footage is often treated as the final word. But we know how to ask the right questions and put the footage in context,” Pisani says.
Our firm’s commitment to criminal defense and traffic-related cases in Denver isn’t just professional—it’s personal. Clients trust us because we don’t just accept what’s on tape; we investigate every frame.
As one recent client shared, “Pisani Law took the time to break down the body cam video and found details even I missed. That changed everything in my case.”
Understanding the role of police video in your case starts here—with the truth, your rights, and a legal team that knows how to use both.
Colorado is at the forefront of police accountability reform, and police body camera laws are a significant part of that shift. In 2020, state lawmakers passed Senate Bill 20-217, known as the Enhanced Law Enforcement Integrity Act. This law requires nearly all Colorado law enforcement officers, including those in Denver, to wear and activate body cameras during any interaction with the public that could lead to enforcement action.
But simply wearing a camera isn’t enough. The law sets strict standards for when the camera must be turned on, how long footage must be retained, and what happens if that footage is tampered with or goes missing.
If you’ve been charged with a crime in Denver, here’s what the law says about body camera use:
According to a 2023 Colorado Criminal Defense Bar report, over 18% of complaints against officers involved missing or incomplete body cam footage—a growing concern that can significantly affect a defendant’s rights.
At Pisani Law, we use this legal framework to hold law enforcement accountable and ensure our clients’ rights aren’t violated behind a lens. Attorney Steven J. Pisani routinely challenges incomplete or improperly handled video footage and knows how to file suppression motions when officers fail to comply with state laws. These technical violations can be the difference between a full conviction and a reduced or dismissed charge.
When your future is on the line, you need a criminal defense attorney in Denver who not only understands the law but also knows how to use it to protect you.
Police body camera footage in Colorado can be one of the most potent pieces of evidence in your criminal case—but it can either help you or hurt you, depending on how it’s used and interpreted.
At The Law Offices of Steven J. Pisani, we’ve seen body cam evidence expose constitutional violations, discredit officer testimony, and result in charges being dropped. We’ve also seen prosecutors attempt to use selectively presented footage to paint a misleading picture.
Understanding how to use body cam footage strategically is essential—and that’s where we come in.
With over a decade of experience as a Denver criminal lawyer, Attorney Steven J. Pisani has used video evidence to defend clients facing charges such as assault, DUI, obstruction, and drug possession. Here’s how body cam footage can support your defense:
However, not all footage works in your favor:
“We don’t just watch the video—we break it down frame by frame,” says Steven J. Pisani. “It’s not about what’s obvious. It’s about what’s missing, what’s manipulated, and what’s misunderstood.”
This is where legal skill matters. We know how to challenge video evidence, request complete footage, and present it in a way that highlights your rights, not your worst moments.
It’s a common question we hear at The Law Offices of Steven J. Pisani: What if the police say they don’t have the body camera footage? In many Colorado criminal cases, footage that should exist suddenly becomes “unavailable,” “corrupted,” or “never recorded.” When that happens, you need an attorney who understands how to respond strategically and effectively, both legally and tactically.
Under Colorado law, officers are required to activate their body cams during nearly all public interactions that may lead to law enforcement action. If they fail to do so—or if the footage “disappears”—this may signal a violation of your constitutional rights, including due process under the 14th Amendment.
If body camera footage is missing, mishandled, or intentionally withheld, our team can take decisive action:
In a 2022 Pisani Law case, body cam footage mysteriously went missing in a misdemeanor assault charge. Our legal team filed a motion to suppress the officer’s testimony, and the charges were dismissed before trial.
This isn’t about a technicality. It’s about justice. And in Colorado courts, we fight for it every step of the way.
At Pisani Law, we don’t just talk about results—we deliver them. Body camera footage has played a pivotal role in several of our Denver criminal defense cases, often making the difference between conviction and dismissal.
These real-world examples demonstrate the power of video evidence when carefully reviewed, strategically challenged, and placed in the proper legal context.
Our client was charged with misdemeanor assault after a late-night incident outside a Denver bar. The police report painted a one-sided picture of aggression, claiming the defendant had initiated the altercation. However, after securing the full body cam footage, we uncovered several inconsistencies:
The footage told a different story, and once we presented it to the prosecution, all charges were dropped.
In a DUI case, police claimed our client was slurring speech and failing field sobriety tests. Body cam footage revealed:
We filed a motion to suppress the stop based on lack of probable cause, and the prosecutor agreed to reduce the charge to a traffic infraction.
Many law firms stop at watching the footage. We analyze it frame-by-frame. At Pisani Law, we understand how to extract the truth from shaky angles, muffled audio, and incomplete records—and we use that truth to protect our clients.
Because in the courtroom, video evidence doesn’t win cases—strategy does.
Police body cameras may seem like a neutral record of events, but in reality, they’re tools subject to human error, officer discretion, and legal interpretation. As a defendant or someone under investigation in Colorado, it’s crucial to understand your rights when it comes to accessing and using police body cam footage.
At The Law Offices of Steven J. Pisani, we help clients exercise these rights fully and strategically from the start.
Under Colorado’s Body-Worn Camera Law (SB20-217) and the Colorado Open Records Act (CORA), you may be entitled to request and obtain footage in the following ways:
Many people believe:
“Your right to see the footage is only as strong as your lawyer’s willingness to demand it,” says Attorney Steven J. Pisani. “We don’t wait. We act—fast and aggressively—because your defense may depend on a single frame.”
Knowing your rights is the first step. The next step is hiring a defense attorney who will fight to enforce them.
At The Law Offices of Steven J. Pisani, we treat body camera footage as a key piece of the puzzle, not the entire picture. While many defense attorneys simply watch the footage and move on, our approach is meticulous, layered, and rooted in over a decade of experience defending clients in Denver criminal courts. We don’t assume the footage tells the whole story—we investigate how it was captured, what’s missing, and how it’s being used.
When body camera evidence is involved in a case, here’s how our team gets to work:
Prosecutors often present body cam footage as “undeniable proof.” But what the jury sees—or doesn’t see—depends entirely on how well your defense team prepares. If angles are obscured, key moments are cut, or footage was recorded after crucial events, we make sure those facts come to light.
In one recent Denver case, our review revealed that officers muted their body mics during a critical part of an arrest. That omission helped us file a motion to suppress the client’s statements, significantly weakening the prosecution’s case.
With Pisani Law, you get more than a defense—you get a detailed, evidence-driven strategy built around your rights, your story, and the truth.
If you suspect that police officers failed to record, intentionally altered, or concealed body camera footage during your arrest or investigation, time is not on your side. Mishandled footage isn’t just a technical problem—it can represent a serious violation of your constitutional rights. At The Law Offices of Steven J. Pisani, we act quickly and decisively to preserve evidence and challenge any misconduct before it’s buried by bureaucracy.
If you have any reason to believe the footage was mishandled, take the following steps right away:
In cases where body camera footage is mishandled, we may pursue the following legal options:
“We don’t just ask where the footage is—we ask why it’s missing, who had access, and what else they’re not showing,” says Attorney Steven J. Pisani.
You only get one shot at defending your rights. Make sure the evidence is on your side—and in the right hands.
Police body camera footage in Colorado criminal cases is powerful—but it’s not always clear, complete, or fairly used. What appears on video can shape the outcome of your case, but only if it’s analyzed and challenged by a defense attorney who knows the system inside and out. At The Law Offices of Steven J. Pisani, we’ve spent over a decade defending the rights of individuals in Denver, and we know how to expose the gaps between what’s shown and what’s true.
From identifying missing footage to discrediting misleading clips, we approach every case with strategy, speed, and precision. Attorney Steven J. Pisani doesn’t take shortcuts when it comes to your future—he digs deep, challenges everything, and fights smart.
If you’re facing criminal charges and believe body cam footage plays a role in your case—or should have—don’t wait. You need legal representation that understands both the technology and the tactics behind the video.
