News Shooter
Member
By E&P Staff
Published: October 17, 2007 2:08 PM ET
NEW YORK The Mail Tribune in Medford, Ore., filed suit Oct. 12 against Sheriff Mike Winters to obtain a list of Jackson County's approximately 6,500 holders of concealed handgun licenses. The paper is trying to learn how many teachers hold such licenses.
The issue arose out of other another suit, in which a high school teacher challenged the Medford School District's ban on employees bringing guns on school property. The Mail Tribune has looked into the matter as a school security issue.
Responsible for the handgun license list, Sheriff Winters denied a request, first made over a month ago, for the list, citing reasons of privacy and safety, according to an account in yesterday's Mail Tribune. Calling the list a public record, the newspaper maintains that refusal to disclose it is illegal, adding that other sheriffs' offices have turned over such documents.
Reporter Paris Achen quoted Editor Bob Hunter as saying, "This is information bought and paid for by the public, and the public has a right to it."
Hunter said the Mail Tribune said has no plan to publish license holders' names, seeking the information only to understand the reach a ruling on the Katz lawsuit could have.
Among other things, licensees are required to sign and application that states that the license is public record. The paper noted that Multnomah County has released license holders' names, birth dates and license numbers to The Oregonian and Willamette Week in Portland. The Sheriff's office there handed over its list reluctantly, fearing the information would be used for identity theft or credit card fraud.
The paper further noted that the director of the Oregon Firearms Education Foundation, which is financing Katz's suit, recognized that the licenses are public records, even though he would prefer to see the licensees' privacy protected.
E&P Staff ([email protected])
Published: October 17, 2007 2:08 PM ET
NEW YORK The Mail Tribune in Medford, Ore., filed suit Oct. 12 against Sheriff Mike Winters to obtain a list of Jackson County's approximately 6,500 holders of concealed handgun licenses. The paper is trying to learn how many teachers hold such licenses.
The issue arose out of other another suit, in which a high school teacher challenged the Medford School District's ban on employees bringing guns on school property. The Mail Tribune has looked into the matter as a school security issue.
Responsible for the handgun license list, Sheriff Winters denied a request, first made over a month ago, for the list, citing reasons of privacy and safety, according to an account in yesterday's Mail Tribune. Calling the list a public record, the newspaper maintains that refusal to disclose it is illegal, adding that other sheriffs' offices have turned over such documents.
Reporter Paris Achen quoted Editor Bob Hunter as saying, "This is information bought and paid for by the public, and the public has a right to it."
Hunter said the Mail Tribune said has no plan to publish license holders' names, seeking the information only to understand the reach a ruling on the Katz lawsuit could have.
Among other things, licensees are required to sign and application that states that the license is public record. The paper noted that Multnomah County has released license holders' names, birth dates and license numbers to The Oregonian and Willamette Week in Portland. The Sheriff's office there handed over its list reluctantly, fearing the information would be used for identity theft or credit card fraud.
The paper further noted that the director of the Oregon Firearms Education Foundation, which is financing Katz's suit, recognized that the licenses are public records, even though he would prefer to see the licensees' privacy protected.
E&P Staff ([email protected])
I'm e-mailing my support to the Sheriff, and I'm giving the editor a few words, as well.