The Minnesota State Patrol purged emails and text messages immediately after protests over the death of George Floyd last year, according to testimony in a lawsuit that alleges the agency targeted journalists during the unrest.
During a July 28 hearing, State Patrol Maj. Joseph Dwyer testified that he and a “vast majority of the agency” deleted the messages after the protests and riots, according to a transcript published Friday on the court’s docket.
“The purge was neither accidental, automated, nor routine,” ACLU attorneys wrote in a motion asking the judge to order the State Patrol to stop attacks on journalists covering protests. “The purge did not happen because of a file destruction or retention policy. No one reviewed the purged communications before they were deleted to determine whether the materials were relevant to this litigation.”
Jared Goyette, a freelancer who covered the unrest for the Washington Post and the Guardian, is the lead plaintiff in the lawsuit, which says he was “shot in the face with less-lethal ballistic ammunition” by Minneapolis police on May 27, 2020. In addition to the lawsuit, the Department of Justice is investigating the police response to protests and riots, and Minneapolis is reviewing how its officers handled the unrest.
“You just decided, shortly after the George Floyd protests, this would be a good time to clean out my inbox?” asked ACLU attorney Kevin Riach.
Malaysia Latest News, Malaysia Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Missouri State Senator Demands Answers After LGBTQ Exhibit Removed From State CapitolAn exhibit on the history of the LGBTQ rights movement in Kansas City was removed just days after it was installed in the Missouri state capitol. Officials say there were complaints, and social media posts some of them came from GOP lawmakers. kcur
Read more »
Emotions raw before Paris trial for Islamic State carnageThe survivors of the Islamic State group attack on Paris the night of Nov. 13, 2015, and those who mourn the 130 dead, are bracing for the long-awaited trial and hoping for justice.
Read more »
USC safety Calen Bullock answered call against San Jose State with dynamic debutUSC freshman safety Calen Bullock had a dynamic debut Saturday during the Trojans' 30-7 win over San Jose State.
Read more »
LaQuan Smith Is in An Empire State of Mind“Nobody else has done this, and it represents that I can break barriers and reach new heights,” Smith said of showing at the Empire State Building.
Read more »