Supreme Court Hears Arguments Over Police Records

The Montana Supreme Court heard arguments over whether the results of an internal investigation of a Billings police department employee accused of misconduct should be made public.

The Billings Gazette sued the city seeking its findings in an investigation of credit card purchases made by Deanna Anthony, an administrative coordinator. Anthony resigned last November. No charges have been filed. A District Court judge ruled in December that the information should be released. The city appealed.

Gazette attorney Martha Sheehy argued Wednesday that a public employee being investigated for wrongdoing in the spending of public money does not have a privacy right greater than the public's right to know the results of the investigation. Attorney William O'Connor argued the document is part of Anthony's personnel file and should not be released.

Story from AP