Joe Sciacca v. Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (SPR 20232282)

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts William Francis Galvin, Secretary of the Commonwealth Public Records Division Manza Arthur Supervisor of Records October 10, 2023 SPR23/2282 Julie A. Ciollo, Esq. Assistant General Counsel Records Access Officer Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority 10 Park Plaza, Suite 3910 Boston, MA 02116 Dear Attorney Ciollo: I have received the petition of Joe Sciacca, of 7News WHDH Boston, appealing the response of the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) to a request for public records. See G. L. c. 66, § 10A; see also 950 C.M.R. 32.08(1). On September 14, 2023, Mr. Sciacca requested the following records: [1.] Any video showing the 8/28/23 incident in which a Green Line train was reported heading toward workers in the track area at approximately 2:14 a.m. [2.] Any audio pertaining to this incident including radio traffic and 911 calls[;] [3.] Any incident report documenting this incident[.] The MBTA provided a response on September 21, 2023. Unsatisfied with the MBTA’s response, Mr. Sciacca petitioned this office and this appeal, SPR23/2282, was opened as a result. The Public Records Law The Public Records Law strongly favors disclosure by creating a presumption that all governmental records are public records. G. L. c. 66, § 10A(d); 950 C.M.R. 32.03(4). “Public records” is broadly defined to include all documentary materials or data, regardless of physical form or characteristics, made or received by any officer or employee of any agency or municipality of the Commonwealth, unless falling within a statutory exemption. G. L. c. 4, § 7(26). It is the burden of the records custodian to demonstrate the application of an exemption in order to withhold a requested record. G. L. c. 66, § 10(b)(iv); 950 C.M.R. 32.06(3); see also Dist. Attorney for the Norfolk Dist. v. Flatley, 419 Mass. 507, 511 (1995) (custodian has the burden of One Ashburton Place, Room 1719, Boston, Massachusetts 02108 • (617) 727-2832• Fax: (617) 727-5914 sec.state.ma.us/pre • pre@sec.state.ma.us

Julie A. Ciollo, Esq. SPR23/2282 Page 2 October 10, 2023 establishing the applicability of an exemption). To meet the specificity requirement a custodian must not only cite an exemption, but must also state why the exemption applies to the withheld or redacted portion of the responsive record. The MBTA’s September 21st Response In its September 21, 2023 response, the MBTA cites Exemption (f) of the Public Records Law to withhold the requested records. Exemption (f) Exemption (f) permits the withholding of: investigatory materials necessarily compiled out of the public view by law enforcement or other investigatory officials the disclosure of which materials would probably so prejudice the possibility of effective law enforcement that such disclosure would not be in the public interest. G. L. c. 4, § 7 (26)(f). A custodian of records generally must demonstrate a prejudice to investigative efforts in order to withhold requested records. Information relating to an ongoing investigation may be withheld if disclosure could alert suspects to the activities of investigative officials. Confidential investigative techniques may also be withheld indefinitely if disclosure is deemed to be prejudicial to future law enforcement activities. Bougas v. Chief of Police of Lexington, 371 Mass 59, 62 (1976). Redactions may be appropriate where they serve to preserve the anonymity of voluntary witnesses. Antell v. Att’y Gen., 52 Mass. App. Ct. 244, 248 (2001); Reinstein v. Police Comm’r of Boston, 378 Mass. 281, 290 n.18 (1979). Exemption (f) invites a “case-by case consideration” of whether disclosure “would probably so prejudice the possibility of effective law enforcement that such disclosure would not be in the public interest.” See Reinstein, 378 Mass. at 289-290. In its response, the MBTA asserted, “...this incident is the subject of an open and active investigation. It is the MBTA’s position that disclosing the requested reports prior to the investigation’s conclusion is likely to harm the ongoing investigation efforts by the MBTA and/or other investigative entities. In particular, disclosing reports at this time is likely to jeopardize the cooperation of witnesses, hinder investigative efforts by revealing potential leads, or lead to interim conclusions that may change based on additional facts that are gathered over the course of the ongoing investigation. Therefore, the MBTA is claiming Exemption (f) to withhold responsive reports because disclosure “would probably so prejudice the possibility of effective law enforcement that such disclosure would not be in the public interest.” Although the Department claims it has an open investigation regarding the requested records, it is unclear how the records in their entirety can be withheld under Exemption (f). The Department did not demonstrate how disclosure of any portion of the responsive records “would

Julie A. Ciollo, Esq. SPR23/2282 Page 3 October 10, 2023 probably so prejudice the possibility of effective law enforcement that such disclosure would not be in the public interest[,]” as required under Exemption (f). See Reinstein, 378 Mass. at 289-90 (the statutory exemptions are narrowly construed and are not blanket in nature). Any non- exempt, segregable portion of a public record is subject to mandatory disclosure. G. L. c. 66, § 10(a). Conclusion Accordingly, the MBTA is ordered to provide Mr. Sciacca with a response to the request, provided in a manner consistent with this order, the Public Records Law and its Regulations within ten business days. A copy of any such response must be provided to this office. It is preferable to send an electronic copy of the response to this office at pre@sec.state.ma.us. Mr. Sciacca may appeal the substantive nature of the MBTA’s response within ninety (90) days. See 950 C.M.R. 32.08(1). Sincerely, Manza Arthur Supervisor of Records cc: Joe Sciacca