Updated at 4:45 p.m.
Public defenders in Massachusetts are suing Springfield's mayor and city clerk over a public records request for police discipline reports.
The Committee for Public Counsel Services said almost a year ago it requested reports on nearly two dozen officers, many who have been indicted.
The public defenders said the documents are needed to make sure the arrests and prosecution of some of their clients were valid.
Court documents said the office of Springfield's city clerk ignored the requests, even after the secretary of state's office followed up.
The state's public records law requires a response to requests for documents within 10 business days.
City Council President Justin Hurst said he plans to filed his own public records request for the documents.
"I, too, and I know some other councilors, have wanted to know the incidences in which officers were found in violation and — to me — that should be a public record," he said.
City Councilor Orlando Ramos, who chairs the council's public safety committee, said the requested documents should be made public, but also defended City Clerk Tasheena Davis.
"I know her as a good, ethical person and someone who cares about doing everything by the law," Ramos said. "Otherwise, we wouldn't have hired her as city clerk, right? She's done an excellent job and I don't see any reason why any of this would be intentional."
And, in fact, Springfield City Solicitor Ed Pikula said the lack of a response was "not intentional."
"It is unfortunate that a response was not provided in a timely manner," Pikula said in an email. "A quick review of the information looks as if it requests a mixture of public and exempt records and we will sort through and respond ASAP."
The public defenders are also looking for medical records of anyone injured by the officers listed in the suit, as well as any correspondence with the U.S. Attorney's Office regarding the officers.
The U.S. Department of Justice and U.S. attorney for Massachusetts earlier this year released a scathing report about the Springfield Police narcotics division, which said officers repeatedly harmed suspects, and didn't report the incidents.
The Committee for Public Counsel Services declined an interview request, citing the pending litigation, but did release a statement:
"The United States Department of Justice found that there were officers in Springfield who made a practice of violating the constitutional rights of our fellow citizens, and we made a public records request because we need to know more," the agency said. "These records are important because they impact an untold number of lives, cases and convictions. Many of those who have come into contact with those officers are our clients, and in order to ensure that their arrests, cases and convictions were proper, we need this information."
