Miami Herald by Julie K. Brown
September 26, 2017
The Miami Herald filed a lawsuit Tuesday against the city of Hollywood for refusing to release documents in connection with the recent deaths of 11 residents at the Rehabilitation Center at Hollywood Hills.
The Herald, citing the state’s open records laws, contends that the city is bound by law to release the audio of all 911 calls made from the center on Sept. 13, including the calls at 3 a.m. and 4 a.m. that resulted in the fire-rescue response.
The lawsuit also seeks the release of police reports from Sept. 13 and 14 that would provide insight into what police found and were told upon their arrival at the nursing home.
The city says the reports are exempt from the public records law because they are connected to an active criminal investigation.
The city of Hollywood has a duty to permit the inspection, examination and copy of the reports and calls since they were done by a tax-supported agency in the course of government business, according to the suit filed in Broward County. [READ MORE]
