38 Studios Grand Jury Records: Superior Court Judge Slaps Down Raimondo's Petition To Release Records

PROVIDENCE, RI — The 38 Studios Grand Jury records will stay secret, at least for now, a Superior Court justice ruled today. Gov. Gina Raimondo petitioned the court to release the records. The American Civil Liberties Union supported her petition. But Attorney General Peter Kilmartin argued against the disclosure. He maintained the release would harm the Grand Jury process.

Justice Alice Gibney on Friday ruled in Kilmartin's favor. Gibney said the governor had not met the burden of proof needed to warrant making the records public. The mere fact the public is interested in the documents is not a sufficient reason, Gibney said.

"The Petitioner was not a party to the original investigation, the civil suit has concluded, the Petitioner does not need the materials for any particularized reason, the targets of the investigation were exonerated, and disclosure of the material would hinder the free and untrammeled flow of information and compromise the long-standing history of grand jury secrecy," she said summing up.

There was no word yet on whether Raimondo will appeal.