Texas, close legal loophole that could compromise transparency in Uvalde | Opinion
Members of the Pharr, Texas, police department visit a memorial at Robb Elementary School to honor the victims killed in last week's school shooting, Thursday, June 2, 2022, in Uvalde, Texas. The shifting narrative about the law enforcement response to the Uvalde school massacre leaves one dizzy and frustrated. Every day seems to bring a troubling revelation.
Residents of Uvalde have good reason to question the credibility of law enforcement officials whose story has changed over and over. Police reports, bodycam footage and call recordings or transcripts can fill in some of their knowledge gaps. This provision of the Texas Public Information Act prohibits the disclosure of records related to an investigation that did not result in a conviction or deferred adjudication. This is known as the “dead suspect loophole.”
It’s too early to tell whether Uvalde police and other law enforcement agencies will be responsive to records requests or whether they will obfuscate. At any rate, the Texas Legislature should act to ensure transparency.
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