Skip to main content

Request By:
[NO REQUESTBY IN ORIGINAL]

Opinion

Opinion By: Albert B. Chandler III, Attorney General; Amye L. Bensenhaver, Assistant Attorney General

Open Records Decision

This matter having been presented to the Attorney General in an open records appeal, and the Attorney General being sufficiently advised, we find that the Kentucky State Police properly relied on KRS 61.878(1)(l) and KRS 17.150(2) in denying Willina G. Hayes's May 27, 1999, request for records compiled in the course of KSP's investigation into her son Christopher's death. We believe that 98-ORD-30, a copy of which is attached hereto and incorporated by reference, is controlling. We note that although KSP indicated in its June 16 supplemental response that the case is still considered active, KSP also indicated that it "is scheduled to be closed in the next few weeks pending administrative review and the destruction of evidence." Ms. Hayes may wish to contact KSP's custodian of records, Diane H. Smith, to determine if the case has now been closed. If so, she may resubmit her open records request for the investigative file, and that request will be honored.

A party aggrieved by this decision may appeal it by initiating action in the appropriate circuit court pursuant to KRS 61.880(5) and KRS 61.882. Pursuant to KRS 61.880(3), the Attorney General should be notified of any action in circuit court, but should not be named as a party in that action or in any subsequent proceeding.

LLM Summary
The Attorney General's decision supports the Kentucky State Police's denial of Willina G. Hayes's request for records related to the investigation of her son's death, citing statutory exemptions. The decision references 98-ORD-030 as controlling precedent, affirming that the denial aligns with established interpretations of the law. It also notes the possibility of the case being closed soon, suggesting that the requester may resubmit her request once the case is no longer active.
Disclaimer:
The Sunshine Law Library is not exhaustive and may contain errors from source documents or the import process. Nothing on this website should be taken as legal advice. It is always best to consult with primary sources and appropriate counsel before taking any action.
Requested By:
Willina G. Hayes
Agency:
Kentucky State Police
Type:
Open Records Decision
Lexis Citation:
1999 Ky. AG LEXIS 156
Cites:
Neighbors

Support Our Work

The Coalition needs your help in safeguarding Kentuckian's right to know about their government.