Monday, January 03, 2011
Judge Orders Lawson Statement Released
KENTUCKY....
Franklin County Circuit Judge Thomas Wingate ruled Monday that the news media may see a statement that Kentucky highway contractor Leonard Lawson gave to the Kentucky attorney general's office in 1983 while his former company, Mountain Enterprises, was under civil investigation. In 2008, Lawson and others were indicted on charges of illegally obtaining estimates for road projects, but Lawson was later acquitted. Federal prosecutors planned to use the statement in the federal criminal trial, and the Lexington Herald-Leader, the Courier-Journal and the Associated Press asked for the statement under the Kentucky Open Records Act in 2009. Attorney General Jack Conway’s office initially denied the request because of the ongoing criminal case. Lawson's attorney, Guthrie True, had argued that Lawson's privacy rights justified blocking its release. In his ruling, Wingate said because Lawson had agreed as part of the anti-trust investigation to cooperate with law enforcement that he had no expectation that the1983 statement would remain private. Attorney Jon Fleischaker, who represented the news organizations, says he's pleased with the decision. If Lawson appeals, the statement may not be immediately available to reporters.
Franklin County Circuit Judge Thomas Wingate ruled Monday that the news media may see a statement that Kentucky highway contractor Leonard Lawson gave to the Kentucky attorney general's office in 1983 while his former company, Mountain Enterprises, was under civil investigation. In 2008, Lawson and others were indicted on charges of illegally obtaining estimates for road projects, but Lawson was later acquitted. Federal prosecutors planned to use the statement in the federal criminal trial, and the Lexington Herald-Leader, the Courier-Journal and the Associated Press asked for the statement under the Kentucky Open Records Act in 2009. Attorney General Jack Conway’s office initially denied the request because of the ongoing criminal case. Lawson's attorney, Guthrie True, had argued that Lawson's privacy rights justified blocking its release. In his ruling, Wingate said because Lawson had agreed as part of the anti-trust investigation to cooperate with law enforcement that he had no expectation that the1983 statement would remain private. Attorney Jon Fleischaker, who represented the news organizations, says he's pleased with the decision. If Lawson appeals, the statement may not be immediately available to reporters.# posted by Homer Owens @ 11:13 PM 
