LANSING - The Lansing State Journal reports: Michigan State University is suing ESPN over a public records request involving police reports relating to ongoing sexual assault investigations.
MSU argues in its lawsuit that it has been put in an "impossible position'" because Ingham County Prosecutor Carol Siemon's office asked the university to withhold the records and ESPN asked for them to be released.
An ESPN, Inc. reporter submitted a Freedom of Information Act request with the university Feb. 10 seeking all police reports containing allegations of sexual assault since Dec. 10, 2016, as well as records of arrests made between Feb. 6 and Feb. 9, according to court documents. The request came one day after MSU announced the suspensions of three MSU football players and a staff member associated with the team amid a sexual assault investigation.
MSU provided some reports to ESPN but withheld others because Siemon's office was still deciding whether to issue criminal charges in relation to some reports.
ESPN reporter Paula Lavigne in a phone call last month reminded MSU spokesperson Jason Cody that ESPN won an open records lawsuit against MSU in 2015 and was prepared to sue the university again, according to an affidavit Cody signed as part of MSU's lawsuit.
MSU filed its lawsuit on Monday in the Court of Claims. The university asked the court to issue a decision on whether the police reports can be withheld through a FOIA exemption relating to open police investigations.
The university has repeatedly denied requests from the State Journal for documents and said it was doing so due to ongoing investigations.