KMXT 100.1 FM Public Radio in Kodiak, Alaska
Jay Barrett/KMXT
It’s taken two weeks, but the City of Kodiak has flatly rejected the Freedom of Information Act request KMXT made for documents associated with allegations of police brutality when three Kodiak Police Department officers are accused of using excessive force against an autistic and challenged young man.
In a brief letter, the city’s attorney, Holly Wells, said the documents were denied on two counts.
The first reason given was that the documents were part of the city’s pending investigation. However, a week earlier, the city announced its investigation was over, and it was being turned over to an impartial party.
The second reason given was that releasing the documents could result in an invasion of someone’s privacy rights. However, the encounter with 28-year-old Nick Pletnikoff, which left him bloodied and bruised, happened in broad daylight, on a city street, in public, where there is no reasonable expectation of privacy.
Relief for denied Freedom of Information Act Requests is sought in district court, and KMXT is considering its legal strategy.
