Skip to content
Home
>
News
>
Commission: Turn over report

Commission: Turn over report

By: Magnolia Tribune - September 13, 2008

In its first ruling since gaining new authority, the Mississippi Ethics Commission has ruled a private citizen is entitled to redacted Jackson police initial incident reports involving George Bell III in the slaying of his ex-girlfriend.

In its first case, Jackson resident James Hendrix had submitted a public records request to the city clerk’s office requesting the following information:

A copy of the initial police incident report on the kidnapping of Elizabeth Hall by Bell on Sept. 11, 2007.

A copy of the initial police incident report on the homicide of Heather Spencer on Sept. 11, 2007.

The city attorney’s office denied Hendrix’s request for the records, saying they were investigative reports that were exempt from the public records law.

After several hours of discussion Friday, the Ethics Commission issued an opinion that said if Jackson had created a separate document that contained only incident report information, such as the name, date and location of persons charged, the city could simply produce that document.

But since it doesn’t have a separate incident report, the city must redact the exempted investigative material from the documents and produce the nonexempted incident report information.

“Failure to do so is a violation of the act,” the commission opinion said.

Hendrix said he always thought the law was on his side.

“The public has a right to the reports,” Hendrix said.

Hendrix, who has taken an interest in the Bell case on his blog, JacksonJambalaya.com, said he wanted the information to post on his blog.

Clarion Ledger
9/13/8

About the Author(s)
author profile image

Magnolia Tribune

This article was produced by Magnolia Tribune staff.