Judge wrong in 'Star' ruling

Last week, special judge Jane Spencer Craney struck down a lawsuit filed against the University by The Indianapolis Star. The Star had asked that the University release the files it had created during an investigation of Bob Knight, who was the men's basketball coach at the time.\nThe judge's ruling -- and the University's response to the lawsuit -- delivers a crushing blow to the principle that government should be operated in the open.\nBefore the lawsuit came into being, the University's position was that Knight committed continued abuses of power, from verbally attacking other administrators to physically attacking students. At what time is it more appropriate for a government agency to conduct its business in the open than when it alleges abuses of power from within itself?\nThe citizens of Indiana deserve to know the results of this investigation. They should know if Knight was abusing his power because they have an interest in how their government is being run. They should also know if the University distorted the results of the investigation and wrongfully dismissed Knight.\nThe basis of a government of the people is an informed citizenry that knows what its elected officials are doing. That is why The Star filed the lawsuit, so they could present the facts to their readers and let them make their own decisions at the ballot box.\nThe lawsuit will likely be appealed, and other judges will review the ruling. The judge's ruling cited a number of exemptions to the Access to Public Records Act. If an exemption applies, the public agency doesn't have to release the documents.\nBut the University released parts of the investigation voluntarily. The Star lawsuit maintains that you can't claim an exemption that forbids you to release any of the information when you've already released significant parts of it.\nIt certainly is a logical conclusion. The Access to Public Records Act was designed to make sure the government does its business in public. \nWe hope the appeals court will do its duty to the citizenry of Indiana and strike down the lower court's verdict.\nStaff vote: 14 - 0 - 2\nyes - no - abstain