WLBT 3 - Jackson, MS: Local Blogger Frustrated with City's Response to Changes in Law

Local Blogger Frustrated with City's Response to Changes in Law

By Monica Hernandez
monica@wlbt.net

Three On Your Side reported earlier this month that a local blogger is helping set standards for public records laws. But now, he's frustrated with the records he's received from the City of Jackson.

In July, James Hendrix took advantage of amendments to the Mississippi Public Records Act, which define what an "incident report" and "investigative report" entail.

The law gives the public the right to obtain incident reports, which are narrative descriptions of a crime. They must include, at a minimum, when and where the crime happened, who committed the crime, what they are charged with, and the property involved.

Investigative reports include non-public information.

Hendrix requested copies of the initial police reports on the September 2007 murder of Heather Spencer and the kidnapping of Elizabeth Hall. He took his case to the Mississippi Ethics Commission when city officials denied his request.

City officials said Hendrix' request was beyond the scope of the information included in an incident report. City officials also said the case had not been prosecuted yet, although George Bell, III is serving life in prison for murdering Spencer and kidnapping Hall.  

The Ethics Commission told city officials to hand over an incident report, or, if one wasn't available, to redact any non-public information and produce the investigative report.

But Hendrix isn't satisfied with the report he received. It includes minimal information and doesn't mention anything about Elizabeth Hall's kidnapping.

"In my opinion, it made a mockery of the ruling because they so heavily blacked it out, it's basically worthless," said Hendrix.

"Public records belong to the public. They are our records, and unless they are exempted from disclosure, we have a right to see them. The theory behind that is open government is better government," said Tom Hood, executive director of the Mississippi Ethics Commission.

Hendrix plans to ask the Ethics Commission for an opinion on the redaction issue sometime this week. The Ethics Commission's opinion is non-binding. Meanwhile, WLBT's calls to the city attorney's office were not returned.