Federal lawyers fly to Minneapolis to investigate shooting

MINNEAPOLIS -- U.S. Justice Department attorneys were expected to fly to Minnesota to investigate the killing of a black man that has prompted protests and calls for the two Minneapolis police officers involved in the shooting to be prosecuted.

A key issue during their visit will be whether authorities should release to the public videos of the fatal shooting of 24-year-old Jamar Clark a week ago.

Federal and state authorities have resisted releasing the footage -- from an ambulance, mobile police camera, public-housing cameras and cellphones -- because they said it doesn't show the full incident, and making the recordings public would compromise investigations.

Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton said Saturday he had asked Clark's family and representatives of the Black Lives Matter group protesting his death to meet with the federal lawyers.

"I will urge that the tapes be provided to the family and released to the public, as soon as doing so will not jeopardize the Department of Justice's investigation," Dayton said after meeting with the family and leaders of the protesters.

A spokesman for the U.S. Attorney's Office in Minnesota didn't respond to a request for comment Sunday about the status of the investigation.

Clark's funeral will start at noon Wednesday and last an hour at Shiloh Temple International Ministries in north Minneapolis, his cousin, Kenya McKnight, said. A visitation will be held at the church before the funeral, from 10 a.m. to noon.