Illinois denies AP: Don’t have copies

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — Illinois prison officials say they can’t disclose information about the death of an inmate that led to the suspension of several staff members because the department didn’t maintain a copy of the records before sending them to federal investigators.

Former federal prosecutors and detectives were surprised by the Illinois Department of Corrections’ response to an open records request by The Associated Press. Officials have provided no information about the May 17 incident at the Western Illinois Correctional Center in Mount Sterling, except that an injured inmate was airlifted to a regional hospital and later died.

Corrections officials said “several” staff members are on leave and confirmed the FBI investigation, but the department declined further comment.

“Turning over everything without keeping a copy? That sounds a little strange,” said Thomas Raftery III of Linwood, N.J., a global business-security consultant who spent 22 years as an FBI agent. “I never heard of that. They may not want to give to it you, but why not just come out and say that?”

When the AP first requested documents about the incident, the department denied disclosure under exceptions to the Illinois Freedom of Information Act dealing with protecting ongoing criminal investigations and inmate privacy.

Last week came a new response. Instead of commenting when the AP asked why it turned over all its original records to the FBI, it responded that it had found 100 additional documents, some previously supplied to the FBI, and all exempt from disclosure.

The department’s claim that it cannot disclose what it doesn’t have also runs counter to Illinois case law.