#Ferguson cops claim they have no records of arrests of journalists


See Runa Sanvik's feature on this


Phil writes, "Runa Sandvik of Freedom of the Press Foundation is systematically documenting the arrests of journalists in Ferguson, Missouri made during protests of the August 9 officer-committed shooting death of Michael Brown."

After each arrest, pursuant to the Missouri's Sunshine Law, Sandvik filed requests for public records using MuckRock, a Web-based service that provides a real-time view of all related correspondence with the applicable law enforcement agencies.

One of those requests, for all records detailing the arrests and detentions of Neil Munshi of the Financial Times, Robert Klemko of Sports Illustrated, and Rob Crilly of the Telegraph, on August 17, 2014, by by Missouri Highway Patrol Captain Ron Johnson, who has been the lead law enforcement officer on the scene since Governor Jay Nixon removed St. Louis County Police from Ferguson protest duty, was recently completed. In a letter dated August 22, 2014, Keverne L. McCollum, Missouri State Highway Patrol Custodian of Records, reported that MSHP have no such records:

Dear Ms. Sandvik:

I am in receipt of your request for reports regarding the arrest and detention of Mr. Neil Munshi, Mr. Robert Klemko, and Mr. Rob Crilly. I have researched our records and the patrol has no documents responsive to your request. You may wish to contact the local law enforcement agencies to determine if they have any information relative to your request.

If you have any questions, please contact me at the Patrol Records Division at 573-526-6167.

Sincerely,
KEVERNE L. McCOLLUM, Lieutenant
Custodian of records

FOI Request
Ferguson arrest records for Munshi, Klemko, Crilly

(Thanks, Phil!)

(Image: Getty Images photographer Scott Olson (center) is arrested by a highway patrol officer during a protest for the shooting death of Michael Brown, in Ferguson, Missouri August 18, 2014. Authorities say he was arrested because police required media to be within certain areas. Missouri Governor Jay Nixon lifted the curfew for the St. Louis suburb of Ferguson on Monday and began deploying National Guard troops to oversee protests sparked by the fatal shooting of the black unarmed teenager by a white policeman. REUTERS/Joshua Lott.)