Team ROC, the social justice arm of Roc Nation, is championing transparency in the upcoming trial of former Kansas City, Kansas police detective Roger Golubski. Set to begin on December 2, Golubski faces federal charges for exploiting his position to extort and sexually assault Black women and teenagers.
Legal representation procured by Team ROC has filed a motion on behalf of Kansas City media outlets, including The Kansas City Star and KSHB-TV, advocating for journalists’ rights to broadcast the trial. The motion emphasizes the need for First Amendment protections to ensure public confidence in the criminal justice system, particularly given allegations of systemic misconduct within the Kansas City, Kansas Police Department (KCKPD).
This trial is part of a broader investigation into longstanding corruption within the KCKPD. Team ROC asserts, “The citizens of KCK deserve to know that the law enforcement system can protect them.”
“Transparency in trial proceedings is of the utmost importance for the public and to protect the First Amendment rights of the press,” Reed Smith LLP attorneys Jordan Siev and Lara Gatz said. “We believe the Court should grant the request to publicly broadcast the trial, or at a minimum permit the streaming of the trial at the federal courthouse in Kansas City, Kansas. The media should be able to provide real-time updates to the good citizens of KCK about a serious and painful matter involving their community’s police. Broadcasting the trial will prove to all that the justice system is open and fair.”
In a related effort, Team ROC and the Midwest Innocence Project (MIP) filed a lawsuit against the KCKPD and the Unified Government of Wyandotte County for failing to comply with the Kansas Open Records Act (KORA). Despite public records requests submitted in November 2023, the Unified Government has only provided limited documents, falling short of legal obligations.
Both initiatives underscore Team ROC’s commitment to uncovering corruption, holding perpetrators accountable, and fostering reforms within the KCKPD.
For more details, visit kckpdcorruption.info.
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