Fighting Oversight Every Step Of The Way
Seattle sues attorney over public records request
"SEATTLE -- On the heels of a scathing federal review of Seattle police practices, dash-cam video is once again at the center of a firestorm at City Hall.
This time, the city is suing an attorney who wanted dash-cam videos connected to alleged police misconduct.
KOMO News sued the city of Seattle after public information requests for police dash-cam video were not fulfilled. The suit alleges violation of the public records law.
But criminal defense attorney James Egan never expected the city would preemptively sue him just for asking for police dash cam video.
"Shocked. I am shocked," he said. "What the police department is saying is if you make a request for public documents, ultimately you will be sued."
The situation involves two cases Egan handled pro bono. He believed the videos in each case show officer misconduct. Egan wanted to know if those officers had other questionable arrests, so he asked for 36 additional dash-cam videos.
But the city refused, citing privacy laws. Egan appealed, and now the city is suing him.
"This is ridiculous. It would be comical if it weren't alarming," he said."
"The city argues it doesn't have to release any videos for three years. That also happens to be when the statute of limitations runs out for suing the city and, as a KOMO News investigation discovered, it is also when dash-cam videos are routinely erased from the system."
"SEATTLE -- On the heels of a scathing federal review of Seattle police practices, dash-cam video is once again at the center of a firestorm at City Hall.
This time, the city is suing an attorney who wanted dash-cam videos connected to alleged police misconduct.
KOMO News sued the city of Seattle after public information requests for police dash-cam video were not fulfilled. The suit alleges violation of the public records law.
But criminal defense attorney James Egan never expected the city would preemptively sue him just for asking for police dash cam video.
"Shocked. I am shocked," he said. "What the police department is saying is if you make a request for public documents, ultimately you will be sued."
The situation involves two cases Egan handled pro bono. He believed the videos in each case show officer misconduct. Egan wanted to know if those officers had other questionable arrests, so he asked for 36 additional dash-cam videos.
But the city refused, citing privacy laws. Egan appealed, and now the city is suing him.
"This is ridiculous. It would be comical if it weren't alarming," he said."
"The city argues it doesn't have to release any videos for three years. That also happens to be when the statute of limitations runs out for suing the city and, as a KOMO News investigation discovered, it is also when dash-cam videos are routinely erased from the system."
posted by nolocontendere at 5:03 AM
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