Court withholds autopsy report on suspect’s death

BROWNSVILLE — A court ruling that blocked two newspapers from obtaining the autopsy report of a man who died in police custody likely will be lifted, though the report will remain withheld, the Associated Press reported.

The Valley Morning Star and Brownsville Herald had filed open records requests for the autopsy report on Daniel Rivera Tamez who died Jan. 19, a day after his arrest on charges of evading and resisting arrest and reckless driving.

State District Judge Abel Limas issued a temporary restraining order, which the newspapers said amounted to prior restraint.

The Cameron County district attorney agreed to vacate that order but issued another order that would allow a justice of the peace to withhold the autopsy report.

Newspaper uncovers finance scheme at University of NT

DENTON — The Denton Record-Chronicle learned through an open records request that a former University of North Texas administrator tried to negotiate an agreement between several universities and a Saudi Arabia hospital that would have profited a private corporation in which he held a financial interest.

Dr. T. Lloyd Chesnut resigned Aug. 23 from his position as vice president for research and technology transfer at UNT, and UNT officials are continuing an investigation into an agreement he attempted to negotiate in 2004 and 2005 with UNT, the UNT Health Science Center, the University of Montana and the King Fahd Medical City in Saudi Arabia.

UNT released records to the Record-Chronicle but declined to give out Chesnut’s correspondence before he went on administrative leave. The Texas attorney general’s office upheld the university’s right to withhold that information, but said it could release other records.

Officials probe vote

ARANSAS PASS — The district and county attorney offices are investigating whether the city council here violated the Texas Open Meetings Act, the Aransas Pass Progress reported.

The council met in executive session and, when reconvening in open session with a large crowd present, unanimously voted to take action as discussed in executive session.

City officials did not say what that was, even though the Open Meetings Act says all agenda topics must be listed specifically.

Committee investigates newspaper’s reporting

FAIRFIELD — City council members may have violated the Texas Open Meetings Act when they formed a committee to investigate how city financial information was leaked to The Fairfield Recorder.

The newspaper disclosed that more than $500,000 in public funds was recently shuffled from First National Bank of Fairfield to Wells Fargo Bank.

Mayor Roy Hill, however, has taken issue with the Recorder’s reporting of the financial transactions and called for the council to form a committee to investigate whether privileged information was leaked to the newspaper.

Jail firm files libel suit on E-N reports

SAN ANTONIO — A Louisiana company that operates one of two inmate commissaries at the Bexar County Jail has sued the San Antonio Express-News and parent company Hearst Newspapers, claiming libel.

Premier Management Enterprises and its three principal owners claim two articles and an editorial published in December contained false and misleading statements about a contract to mange the county facility.

Jonathan R. Donnellan, Hearst’s senior counsel, said “The paper was simply fulfilling its role as the eyes and ears of the public, and based its reporting on public records, public meetings and officials statements.”