It's still #SunshineWeek, right? @LJSpilger, @editorontherun & I started this reporting project in early Jan., before coronavirus, the Legislature, a murder trial and pneumonia all got in the way. Really proud to get it out the door. journalstar.com/news/local/cri…
After the law changed in 2016 to allow for greater public access to grand jury transcripts and evidence, we asked the question: How are counties interpreting the new law?
Answer: Depends on where you are.
This access and transparency gives the public greater detail about high-profile events like last fall's bizarre scene at Chik-fil-A, where Joseph Cimino was shot and killed by an officer after driving his truck into the building. journalstar.com/news/local/cri…
Grand juries, unlike the juries we see on TV, can ask witnesses questions and offer recommendations to law enforcement, even if they find no wrongdoing. Do those recommendations have any teeth? Not always, it appears. journalstar.com/news/local/cri…
It didn't take long for the new access to be challenged by the state, however. The Nebraska Attorney General's Office challenged the right to seal grand juries, and the state's highest court seemed to agree there should be a way to pull the curtain again: journalstar.com/news/local/cri…
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