Michigan Public Records Request Reveals the Release of Dangerous Prisoners
From Sunshine Review
Oakland County, Michigan, October 11, 2009
Oakland county prosecutor Jessica Cooper won an important battle for open records this week when a Michigan judge ordered the release of the records held by the Michigan Department of Corrections(MDOC) of individuals being considered for parole. This lawsuits comes while the Department of Corrections attempts to release almost 3,500 inmates in an attempt to cut costs at state prison facilities. [1]
Cooper made the records request in the spring of 2009 and received an incomplete list of scheduled parole hearings in June. The incomplete list revealed the scheduled parole hearings of 1,744 convicts, 50% of whom were convicted of violent crimes and 28% of violent sexual crimes, according to Cooper. Cooper released the list to other state prosecutors in an attempt to encourage these prosecutors to follow her lead and file appeals against the release of particularly dangerous criminals. Cooper's office has appealed the release of 17 individuals and plans on running background checks on the complete list once she receives it. While the MDOC claims that it has made every attempt to cooperate and coordinate with Cooper and other state prosecutors, Cooper claims that this cooperation has come too late. Commenting on the ruling, Cooper told the press, "We've made a step, but there's six months of people being released without us looking at (a list). I don't think it's the last round."
