Lyssikatos v. King

  • Filed: 08/08/2017
  • Status: Closed
  • Latest Update: Aug 08, 2017
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Summary

This is a series of legal actions over police departments' refusal to release reports of alleged police officer misconduct generated by their Internal Affairs Divisions (IAD).

A lawsuit, Lyssikatos v. King, filed on behalf of Dimitri Lyssikatos, a member of the Rhode Island Accountability Project, argues that the Pawtucket Police Department's refusal to release the records is a violation of the state’s Access to Public Records Act (APRA).

A similar lawsuit, Cox v. Goncalves, a was filed in November 2018.

In a separate legal action, in July 2019, as a result of the Woonsocket Police Department's refusal to release similar records, the ACLU appealed to 1) the RI Supreme Court and 2) the Attorney General requesting that both bodies reverse a 2017 Attorney General decision that allows police to keep secret some of its reports of police misconduct. Update: Woonsocket subsequently released the records in August 2019.

Attorney(s):
James D. Cullen & R. Kelly Sheridan

News & Commentary

Aug 27, 2019

Woonsocket Agrees to Make Police Misconduct Records Public

Responding to an Access to Public Records Act (APRA) complaint that the ACLU of Rhode Island filed last month, the Woonsocket Police Department has released copies of its final investigations of internally-generated complaints of police misconduct that it had previously declared confidential. Last month, the ACLU had filed a formal complaint with the Attorney General when the department refused to provide the records to Dimitri Lyssikatos, a member of the Rhode Island Accountability Project. As a result of the City’s change of position, ACLU of RI cooperating attorney James Cullen is withdrawing the pending complaint.

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Jul 22, 2019

ACLU Mounts Two-Pronged Attack to Make Records of Police Misconduct Public

Calling it “one of the most damaging decisions affecting the public’s right to know that has been issued, and a significant obstacle to holding police departments accountable,” the ACLU of Rhode Island has launched a two-pronged attack on a 2017 Attorney General ruling that allows police to keep secret some of its reports of police misconduct. In simultaneous appeals to the Rhode Island Supreme Court and the Attorney General, ACLU of RI cooperating attorney James Cullen is asking for a reversal of that ruling.

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Mar 18, 2019

Court Denies ACLU Motion Seeking Access to Pawtucket Police Misconduct Records

In a major blow to the public’s right to know, RI Superior Court Judge Melissa Long today ruled that the Pawtucket Police Department is not required, pending further court proceedings, to release reports of police officer misconduct that are generated by its Internal Affairs Division (IAD). Instead, the judge concluded that additional hearings are necessary to determine whether the records must be released under the state’s Access to Public Records Act (APRA).

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Aug 08, 2017

ACLU Sues Pawtucket Police Over Failure to Turn Over Reports of Alleged Police Misconduct

In a case with important ramifications for the public’s ability to monitor police misbehavior, the ACLU of Rhode Island sued the Pawtucket Police Department today for failing to release certain reports of alleged police officer misconduct generated by its Internal Affairs Division (IAD). The suit argues that this refusal to release the records is in clear violation of the state’s Access to Public Records Act (APRA). 

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Learn More About the Issues in This Case

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Related News & Podcasts

News & Commentary
Aug 27, 2019
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  • Government Transparency|
  • +1 Issue

Woonsocket Agrees to Make Police Misconduct Records Public

Responding to an Access to Public Records Act (APRA) complaint that the ACLU of Rhode Island filed last month, the Woonsocket Police Department has released copies of its final investigations of internally-generated complaints of police misconduct that it had previously declared confidential. Last month, the ACLU had filed a formal complaint with the Attorney General when the department refused to provide the records to Dimitri Lyssikatos, a member of the Rhode Island Accountability Project. As a result of the City’s change of position, ACLU of RI cooperating attorney James Cullen is withdrawing the pending complaint.
News & Commentary
Jul 22, 2019
Placeholder image
  • Criminal Justice Reform|
  • +2 Issues

ACLU Mounts Two-Pronged Attack to Make Records of Police Misconduct Public

Calling it “one of the most damaging decisions affecting the public’s right to know that has been issued, and a significant obstacle to holding police departments accountable,” the ACLU of Rhode Island has launched a two-pronged attack on a 2017 Attorney General ruling that allows police to keep secret some of its reports of police misconduct. In simultaneous appeals to the Rhode Island Supreme Court and the Attorney General, ACLU of RI cooperating attorney James Cullen is asking for a reversal of that ruling.
News & Commentary
Mar 18, 2019
Placeholder image
  • Government Transparency|
  • +1 Issue

Court Denies ACLU Motion Seeking Access to Pawtucket Police Misconduct Records

In a major blow to the public’s right to know, RI Superior Court Judge Melissa Long today ruled that the Pawtucket Police Department is not required, pending further court proceedings, to release reports of police officer misconduct that are generated by its Internal Affairs Division (IAD). Instead, the judge concluded that additional hearings are necessary to determine whether the records must be released under the state’s Access to Public Records Act (APRA).
News & Commentary
Aug 08, 2017
Placeholder image
  • Government Transparency|
  • +1 Issue

ACLU Sues Pawtucket Police Over Failure to Turn Over Reports of Alleged Police Misconduct

In a case with important ramifications for the public’s ability to monitor police misbehavior, the ACLU of Rhode Island sued the Pawtucket Police Department today for failing to release certain reports of alleged police officer misconduct generated by its Internal Affairs Division (IAD). The suit argues that this refusal to release the records is in clear violation of the state’s Access to Public Records Act (APRA).