The city of Bridgeport, Connecticut, is fighting an order from the state’s Freedom of Information Commission to turn over police reports responsive to a request made by a person convicted of murder and their representation, Daniel Tepfer reports for CTPost. The city has filed suit against the commission for their decision against the city, describing it as an “error of law,” constituting an “arbitrary and capricious abuse of discretion.”
This is their second fight of this kind this month. Cliff Brown, convicted of murder in 2002, is working with the Innocence Project and seeking a new trial in his case. His lawyer requested related records from Bridgeport in March 2021. The city was ultimately cited for failing to provide responsive records promptly under state FOI law. In March 2023, the commission ordered Bridgeport to turn over unredacted police reports to another man convicted of murder. Deonte Tomlinson is serving a 53-year sentence for murder and requested documents related to his arrest three years ago. He filed a complaint in 2021 when Bridgeport failed to respond. The city is required by law to produce public documents when requested, including police records.