No Laws Were Broken When Josh Duggar's Police Report Was Released to the Public, Says City Attorney

People
June 5, 2015

http://www.people.com/article/josh-duggar-molestation-scandal-records-released-compliance-law

Michelle and Jim Bob Duggar

Despite outcry from the Duggars, police records detailing how Josh Duggar molested five underage girls as a teen – including four of his sisters and the family babysitter – were not illegally released, the Springdale, Arkansas, city attorney said in a statement Thursday.

Last month, after consulting with Springdale City Attorney Ernest Cate, the city's police chief, Kathy O'Kelley, released the scathing 2006 police report containing child molestation accusations against the 19 Kids and Counting stars' eldest son to a tabloid, which unleashed a media firestorm and led to Josh resigning from his job at the Family Research Council.

During their exclusive interview with Fox News' Megyn Kelly Wednesday night, Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar said they believe their son's police records were illegally released – and that they are looking into taking legal action to make sure this never happens again.

"This information was released illegally," Jim Bob told Kelly. "I wonder why all of this press is not going after the system for releasing juvenile records. That is a huge story."

But Cate says that the Springdale Police Department did not break any laws. "On May 20, 2015," his statement reads, "in full compliance with Arkansas law, the Springdale Police Department responded to a records request under the Arkansas Freedom of Information Act.

"The requested record was not sealed or expunged, and at the time the report was filed, the person listed in the report was an adult," the statement says.

"Any names of minors included in the report, as well as pronouns, were redacted from the report by the Springdale Police Department in compliance with Arkansas law prior to release."