Prosecutors: Don’t toss DUI cases for imperfect video

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — South Carolina prosecutors want state law to put less emphasis on video in drunken driving cases, saying too many are being dismissed because of imperfect recordings.

But defense attorneys say there should be better officer training, not lowering of standards.

Since 1998, state law has required videotaping of drunken driving arrests. Recordings must begin as soon as an officer activates his blue lights and include field sobriety tests as well as the breath test, if a suspect agrees to take it.

A Senate Judiciary subcommittee on Wednesday debated a bill that says cases can’t be tossed simply because video equipment fails to capture sobriety tests.

Solicitor Barry Barnette says problems can range from bad audio to a suspect walking out of camera view.

The panel took no action.