Transparency News, 6/12/20

A federal lawsuit filed by the Richmond Times-Dispatch and other media organizations aimed at allowing official and media witnesses to view Virginia’s entire execution procedures was tossed out Wednesday by a federal judge. In a 30-page memorandum, U.S. District Judge Robert E. Payne cited decisions in other states and held that the First Amendment does not require that witnesses and the media be able to observe the entire execution process. While there is a right of access to the adjudication process, it does not extend to the implementation of carrying out a sentence, concluded Payne. The cases he cited included one in Oklahoma and one in Arkansas. The news organizations sued last year, claiming that the First Amendment guarantees the public a right of access to the entirety of executions. Secrecy surrounding executions has increased in Virginia and in other states in recent years, in part because of the increasing scarcity of the drugs needed to carry out executions by injection.
Richmond Times-Dispatch

Suffolk School Board member Sherri Story was formally censured by a 5-2 vote during its Thursday meeting at City Hall. The resolution cited her for “willfully and deliberately” violating board norms and protocols, as well as violating closed meeting confidentiality, with many of the violations charged against her stemming from Facebook posts she has made over the past nine months. There is no formal punishment as a result of the vote other than the public rebuke of the behavior outlined in the resolution.
Suffolk News-Herald

Charlottesville Fire Chief Andrew Baxter resigned Thursday, effective immediately, following numerous complaints against City Manager Tarron Richardson. Baxter and Richardson have battled for months, and the recent budget process highlighted their disagreements over the future of the fire department. Baxter’s resignation sheds light on the discontent among longtime city leaders, many of whom also have left during Richardson’s 13-month tenure. Baxter blamed Richardson’s management style for the departures in a March email, obtained by The Daily Progress on Monday via a request under the Virginia Freedom of Information Act. On the same day of his announcement, the City Council discussed the job performances of Richardson, Baxter and a deputy city manager during an 11-hour closed session, the second special meeting held this week on the topic. Councilors didn’t vote on anything in open session after either closed meeting. Monday’s closed session was scheduled after the council reviewed The Progress’ FOIA request.
The Daily Progress

Danville Public Schools announced the resignation Superintendent Stanley Jones on Thursday evening after a special called meeting but provided no details on the reason for his departure. Per his contract, Jones will be paid a year’s salary of $175,000. In addition, he’ll receive $8,750 in deferred compensation, $7,200 in car allowance and health insurance for 12 months, according to the news release.
Register & Bee

 

Nearly three months after Louisville Metro Police officers fatally shot Breonna Taylor in her South End apartment, the department has released the incident report from that night. Except, it is almost entirely blank. The four-page report lists the time, date, case number, incident location and the victim’s name — Breonna Shaquelle Taylor — as well as the fact that she is a 26-year-old black female. But it redacts Taylor’s street number, apartment number and date of birth — all of which have been widely reported. And it lists her injuries as “none,” even though she was shot at least eight times and died on her hallway floor in a pool of blood, according to attorneys for her family. The police department acknowledged errors in the report that it said was the result of the reporting program creating a paper file.
The Courier-Journal