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Judge Rules State Must Disclose Records, Pay Legal Fees
By: Associated Press
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FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) – A Kentucky judge has overruled a decision by the state to release only documents with blacked-out details of allegations of sexual harassment and discrimination made by a former top social services official.
The Courier Journal reports that Franklin County Circuit Judge Phillip Shepherd ruled Wednesday that the state must disclose the records and pay the newspaper’s legal costs.
The newspaper sought the records after Adria Johnson resigned last year as commissioner of the Department for Community Based Services.
Shepherd rejected the state’s argument that it could withhold the information because the state’s internal investigation hadn’t substantiated Johnson’s allegations.
A statement from the Cabinet for Health and Family Services, where Johnson worked, said it would appeal the ruling in order to be able to continue to protect the privacy of public servants when allegations can’t be substantiated.