BISMARCK (KFGO) - A lawyer for North Dakota media is hoping for clarification of "Marsy's Law."
The law, designed to give crime more rights and protection, has been cited by law enforcement as a reason for not releasing certain information that had been previously considered public.
Bismarck attorney Jack McDonald says a police stand off in Jamestown this week is just one example. "And the swat team came, it was an 8-hour standoff," said McDonald, an attorney for North Dakota broadcasters and newspapers.
"They wouldn't give the name, they wouldn't give the address because of Marsy's Law, so the neighbors and the people, they didn't give the name, they did give the name of the trailer park, the names of the people around in the neighborhood that there was an 8-hour swat team thing going on said McDonald, public safety is involved." McDonald says it may take court action to force a review of some aspects of the law.
State Representative George Keiser of Bismarck has asked for an attorney general's opinion. He says at least one police department has refused to release vehicle-crash information to insurance companies.
