Judge ponders records release
The infamous RMA report is now in the hands of a judge -- who will soon decide whether it should be released as a public record.
Guilford County Superior Court Judge John O. Craig heard arguments Monday from Sam Spagnola about why Greensboro should release the report, which was one of dozens of documents requested by Spagnola and fellow blogger Roch Smith.
Spagnola and Smith requested the records in hopes of clearing up some of the long-standing debates regarding the Greensboro police department. The bloggers sued the city after their requests were unfulfilled.
"Our opinion is the truth is in the papers. It's in the document," Spagnola said.
The city attorneys maintained that the RMA report -- a 2005 review of the inner workings of the police department -- was clearly a personnel document and therefore not a releasable public record.
"The law as it is written now does not allow us to give this report," city attorney Jamiah Waterman said.
Spagnola asked the judge to compel Greensboro to say which city staff members are included in the document, so that they might ask them to permit the info to be released. Under the state personnel law, employees can release their own records.
The city handed over a copy of the RMA report and some closed city council meeting minutes to Craig -- with the understanding that he would keep them in the strictest confidence. He'll decide whether Spagnola and Smith get the last outstanding documents in their public records request Wednesday morning.
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