Dear Keansburg Borough,

Please accept this electronic request for public records made under OPRA and the common law right of access. I am not required to fill out an official form or use a particular software platform to submit my request per NJSA 47:1A-6(f), which states that an email from a requestor including all of the information required on the adopted form shall suffice in place of a completed form as a valid government record request.

I HAVE NOT been convicted of any indictable offense under the laws of New Jersey, any other state, or the United States.

I WILL NOT use the requested government records for a commercial purpose.

I AM NOT seeking records in connection with a legal proceeding.

Records requested:

Pursuant to the New Jersey Open Public Records Act (OPRA), I respectfully request access to the following government records:

All body-worn camera footage, dash camera footage, and rear seat camera footage (if applicable) related to the arrest of Markies L. Wells (39 years old, of Neptune, NJ, also known as Messiah Law-Elbey) on July 3, 2024.

Mr. Wells was arrested after authorities discovered him squatting at two different properties, one in Keansburg and one in Holmdel. In Keansburg, he was found in an abandoned home on Pine View Avenue, where he climbed through the back window, changed the locks, and unlawfully occupied the home. In Holmdel, he was found in a foreclosed home on Middletown Road, where he had similarly changed locks and was living there with his three dogs, using utilities that had not been turned off.

Mr. Wells was charged with armed burglary, attempted theft, theft, criminal mischief, resisting arrest, threatening law enforcement officers, falsifying or tampering with records, obstruction of justice, possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, theft of utility services, trespassing, and unlawful possession of a weapon.

During the Holmdel incident, Mr. Wells threatened officers with a knife and was found to have filed false ownership claims for the homes with the Monmouth County Clerk’s Office.

Please include footage from shortly before, during, and after officers' arrival at both the Keansburg and Holmdel properties; all interactions with Mr. Wells; the arrest process; and any transport to the Monmouth County Jail. If multiple officers or recording devices were present, please provide footage from each.

If any footage will be withheld or redacted, please notify me in advance, provide a specific explanation for each withholding, and cite the legal basis. Given the public interest in transparency regarding property crimes, law enforcement responses, and threats made toward officers, full disclosure is essential.

I respectfully request that any associated fees be waived, as this request is made in the public interest for purposes of transparency and news reporting. If fees are necessary, please inform me first before fulfilling the request.
My preferred delivery method for response(s) to this request is by E-mail as attachments. Please confirm you have received this request. If you are not the custodian of records, please forward my request to that person and provide their email address to me for future reference.

Yours faithfully,

woodlfilms