SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) - A judge says the sheriff’s department in California’s capital city violated the state open records law following requests for deputies’ disciplinary files.
The Sacramento Bee reports a state superior court judge told Sheriff Scott Jones to turn over files sought by the newspaper under a new California law meant to make public records of officer misconduct.
Since the law took effect Jan. 1, Jones has only released files from a single 10-year-old case.
The Sacramento Bee and The Los Angeles Times sued, arguing the sheriff’s delay violates state law.
Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office did not immediately comment on the ruling or say when more records might be released.
The lawsuit is one of several filed by news organizations statewide to pry loose records of police misconduct.
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Information from: The Sacramento Bee, http://www.sacbee.com
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