In response to WPSD’s penalties and fees request of $415,000 for violating Kentucky’s Open Records Act, Board of Regents Chair Leon Owens released a statement to area media shortly after today’s board meeting ended.
Prior to the Feb. 16 summary judgment ruling by Judge John Akins, WPSD had received records from the University and featured many of them in their reporting over the past year.
“Despite its good faith belief about the applicability of three very narrow Open Records Act exemptions, which the University applied to a very limited number of records, the University promptly provided WPSD with revised records upon receipt of the Court’s Order.”
Owens said WPSD is not entitled to the fees and penalties under the Open Records Act.
WPSD filed a suit against Murray State in Calloway Circuit Court in March 2023. In November, they filed a motion for summary judgment, asking the court to enter a ruling in the case based on pleadings, exhibits and affidavits submitted without going to trial.
The lawsuit comes from two open records requests WPSD station manager Perry Boxx submitted to the University in the fall of 2022. The requests sought records related to WKMS.
WPSD requested communications between former WKMS station manager Chad Lampe and University administrators in relation to an open records request WKMS filed for footage of former Circuit Judge Jamie Jameson walking around the courthouse in his underwear.
“The University has fulfilled numerous requests for open records, in accordance with the Act and without dispute on a near-daily basis, and it takes its responsibility in this area very seriously,” Owens said. “After months of unnecessary, unjustified, protracted litigation and hundreds of hours spent producing thousands of pages of records at a tremendous cost to the University, administrators, faculty and staff look forward to returning all of their energy, efforts and resources to their students, and the amazing teaching and learning that occurs at Murray State University.”
