MSU’s student newspaper, university administration both claim victory in three-year legal battle for police reports

The State News, the student newspaper for Michigan State University, is claiming victory in a lawsuit against Michigan State University and its police department over access to police reports.

But the university administration is also claiming a victory in the case.

Reports the Lansing State Journal:

The 16 pages of documents released by MSU last week included a bare bones list of names and places and times with many of the details blacked out, two single-page inmate profiles, a booking sheet and three forms signed by the men charged affirming that they had been advised of their rights.

The State News’ General Manager Marty Sturgeon claims it was victory for the paper this way:

“It’s such a simple case to me, it just floors me that it’s been three years,” Sturgeon said.

“We’re talking about an incident where gasoline was thrown on a student in a dorm. Students, parents, MSU community, city of East Lansing people have a right to know what happened.”

But MSU spokesman Terry Denbow argues the opposite:

“We are pleased the Ingham County Circuit Court ruled that almost all the information requested by The State News was properly withheld by the university,” said Terry Denbow, vice president for university relations.

The case dates back to a February 2006 incident in which a student was assaulted in a MSU residence hall. Reportedly, the assailants poured gasoline on the victim and threatened to light the victim on fire. The State News filed a Freedom of Information Act request seeking the incident and police reports from the incident.

But MSU declined to release the documents, citing the privacy of the students involved.

The newspaper sued, taking the case to the Michigan Supreme Court, which ended up ruling that the denial of the reports was legal.