Commission Rules Police Must Release Newtown Shooting 911 Tapes

The Connecticut Freedom of Information Commission has ruled that the Newtown Police Department must release 911 tapes from the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School.

The Associated Press challenged the refusal by investigators to release the tapes from the Dec. 14 shooting. A hearing officer for Connecticut's Freedom of Information Commission recommended that the tapes be released, but the full commission made the decision late Wednesday afternoon. 

Newtown police officials refused to turn over the tapes under a new Connecticut law that prohibits the release of some information in homicide cases.

The hearing officer noted the new law, adopted in response to the massacre, does not shield 911 calls.

But the prosecutor leading the investigation has argued that certain content of 911 calls could be protected under the law.

Investigators plan on appealing the decision, so the tapes will most likely not be released anytime soon.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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