Members of the press and public who are hoping to see records of the investigation into sex abuse charges against Michael Dorris will have to wait until at least May 28, after a judge granted an injunction yesterday keeping the records sealed.
Dorris, the founder of Dartmouth's Native American Studies Program and an acclaimed author, committed suicide on April 11 at a Concord motel.
Published reports said at the time of his death, Minneapolis prosecutors were considering bringing criminal charges against Dorris. Police records indicated the accusation involved one of Dorris' daughters.
Dorris' widow, author Louise Erdrich, petitioned after Dorris' death to keep the records of the police investigation sealed. A judge granted the injunction, which was scheduled to expire yesterday.
But Hennepin County District Court Judge Dolores Orey extended the injunction until May 28. Another hearing will be held at that date.
Minneapolis newspapers have tried to have the records opened, arguing the public's right to know outweighs the family's right to privacy. But lawyers for the newspapers have been continually rebuffed by the injunctions.
Orey justified her ruling as an opportunity to protect the privacy of individuals mentioned in the records, citing the Minnesota Government Data Practices Act as reason for her decision.
"No legal remedy could compensate [the plaintiffs] for the harm that would result" from the release of the documents, she wrote in a court file ordering the temporary injunction. The Dartmouth obtained a copy of the injunction order yesterday afternoon.
Orey wrote that the injunction extends to personal responses from officials and government employees who have knowledge of the investigation.
Any attempt to release excerpts from the records to the public would leave them "devoid of any meaningful content," and only a total injunction was appropriate, she wrote.
Orey declined to comment further on the ruling.
The temporary injunction may indicate the Dorris record is one step closer to being permanently sealed, according to the Associated Press.