TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — A Florida judge is throwing out a lawsuit that challenged a new confidentiality policy ordered by the state's prison chief.
The Miami Herald reports that a Tallahassee judge on Tuesday dismissed the lawsuit that contended the policy violated state law.
The lawsuit was filed on behalf of employees of the troubled Department of Corrections. They asserted the policy ordered by Secretary Julie Jones was to prevent state legislators and others from asking about ongoing scandals.
Days after a Senate panel grilled the agency's inspector general the department asked all of its investigators to abide by the new policy.
Jones has said the timing of the new policy was "terrible." But she said it was needed to let investigators do their job without having to answer questions from other prison officials.
