Two news organizations, New York Focus and HellGate, are suing the New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision (DOCCS) for access to records relating to sexual assaults in New York state prisons. The media organizations are being represented pro bono by Cornell Law School’s First Amendment Clinic.
Many of the lawsuits came to light after the state passed the Adult Survivors Act.
DOCCS has denied access to the records arguing that they could hurt prison guards’ privacy rights.
Albany Bureau Chief for New York Focus Chris Bragg joined Capital Tonight’s Susan Arbetter to discuss the lawsuit.
In response to a request for comment, DOCCS told Capital Tonight that “the Department declines to comment on pending litigation.”
