Nonprofit sues MUSTANG Drug Task Force
The MUSTANG Drug Task Force is being sued, accused of violating the Missouri Sunshine Law.
On Tuesday, ABC 17 News got a first look at what’s in the lawsuit that was filed on May 20 by the Show Me Cannabis Regulation Inc. group.
The lawsuit names MUSTANG Task Force board members, including Boone County Sheriff Dwayne Carey, Columbia Police Chief Ken Burton and other mid-Missouri sheriffs and police chiefs.
The Show Me Cannabis Regulation Inc. group said the entities have violated the Missouri sunshine law by either not responding to Sunshine requests or redacting information without explanation.
The Missouri Sunshine Law helps hold government accountable by keeping it transparent.
The lawsuit said Aaron Malin with the Show Me Cannabis group sent multiple requests to the task force.
It goes on to say Callaway County Sheriff Dennis Crane ignored sunshine law requests.
Malin said in the lawsuit that Crane received one of his requests in December of 2014, but that Crane did not respond to it in any way.
The lawsuit said Malin requested documents showing meeting minutes for meetings that took place between Jan. 1 of 2013 and Dec. 1 of 2014.
According to the court documents, Malin sent multiple more sunshine requests without getting a response.
Because the MUSTANG Drug Task Force board is made up of many mid-Missouri sheriffs and police chiefs, they were all named in the lawsuit.
On Tuesday morning, the Cole County Commission voted on an attorney to represent the MUSTANG Drug Task Force, but did not want to comment on the lawsuit.
ABC 17 News also reached out to Callaway County Sheriff Dennis Crane for a comment, but as of Tuesday night had not heard back yet.
David Roland in Audrain County is representing Show Me Cannabis.
