FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT Justin Silverman | 774.244.2365 | justin@nefac.org
NOV. 4 BRIEF
The New England First Amendment Coalition recently filed an amicus brief in a New Hampshire case involving access to police misconduct records.
State police are refusing to release information about an officer whose false testimony caused a woman to be imprisoned for nearly two weeks and subjected to multiple body cavity searches.
“Transparency and accountability lead to trust between the citizenry and the government,” wrote NEFAC and the Union Leader Corp. in a Nov. 4 amicus brief filed in ACLU of New Hampshire v. N.H. Dept. of Safety, Div. Of State Police. “The need for such trust is critical when the governmental actors are authorized to effectuate arrests and to use force when necessary.”
Amici argued in the brief that the public interest in the requested records outweighs any government interest in secrecy or the protection of the officer’s privacy.
“The release of the requested materials in this case will ensure that the citizens of New Hampshire are able to fully assess the conduct of a serving police officer and of the thoroughness, timeliness and fairness of those entrusted with the responsibility of overseeing police officers,” they wrote.
NEFAC is the region’s leading advocate for the First Amendment and the public’s right to know about government. The coalition regularly drafts and joins amicus briefs in cases involving First Amendment freedoms and the public’s right to know about government. All coalition briefs, advocacy letters and statements can be found here.
NEFAC was formed in 2006 to advance and protect the Five Freedoms of the First Amendment, including the principle of the public’s right to know. We’re a broad-based organization of people who believe in the power of an informed democratic society. Our members include lawyers, journalists, historians, academics and private citizens.
Our coalition is funded through contributions made by those who value the First Amendment and who strive to keep government accountable. Please make a donation here.
Leadership Circle donors include the Rhode Island Foundation, Hearst Connecticut Media Group, The Boston Globe, Paul and Ann Sagan, and the Robertson Foundation. Major Supporters include Boston University, the Academy of New England Journalists, the Society of Professional Journalists Foundation, Genie Gannett for the First Amendment Museum, Linda Pizzuti Henry, Connecticut Public and GBH-Boston.