Jay-Z’s social justice arm, Team Roc, has taken legal action against the Kansas City, Kansas Police Department (KCKPD) and the city’s government, accusing them of obstructing efforts to investigate claims of wrongful convictions and police misconduct.
The lawsuit, filed on Tuesday (November 19), alleges that the KCKPD has failed to comply with a public records request made under the Kansas Open Records Act (KORA) in November 2023. According to Team Roc, despite paying $2,200 in fees, the department has withheld crucial documents related to allegations of officer abuse and misconduct. The 225 documents provided, the group claims, were mostly irrelevant, consisting of personnel and training records instead of the requested information.
“Kansas City residents have suffered enormously as a result of KCKPD abuses,” the lawsuit states. “Some have been framed for crimes they did not commit; some have been coerced into providing false testimony; some have been sexually assaulted; some have endured brutal beatings; and some have even been killed. Rather than promoting a culture of transparency and accountability, the KCKPD has a long history of turning a blind eye to, at best, and even covering up, if not worse, abusive and/or corrupt conduct by its officers.”
Team Roc has been actively seeking transparency from KCKPD since 2021, previously filing lawsuits to obtain records detailing complaints against officers, as well as documents on the training and oversight of the department’s investigative division. The current lawsuit highlights a systemic pattern of alleged misconduct within the department, including framing individuals, coercing false testimony, sexual violence, excessive force, and even fatal incidents.
“When good faith efforts are met with bad faith tactics, the fight for transparency continues in court. Truth deserves no less. The people of Kansas City, Kansas, deserve no less,” Team Roc wrote in an Instagram post announcing the lawsuit.
Attorney Alex Spiro, representing Team Roc, emphasized that the organization has a right under KORA to access the requested records, which could shed light on the alleged abuses. However, the government’s resistance has made legal action necessary.
“The government has attempted to block our access to those files, and so we’re suing to see what they don’t want us to see,” Spiro explained.
Team Roc’s lawsuit seeks to compel the release of the withheld documents and to hold the department accountable for its alleged failures in transparency and accountability. This latest legal move underscores their commitment to uncovering the truth and advocating for justice in Kansas City.
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