Investigative Journalism Request - Unveiling the Truth: Records on Albert Fentress
| Tracking # |
PD-2023-92 |
| Submitted | July 8, 2023 |
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Communications
From: Jordan Lassiter
MuckRock News
DEPT MR 146407
263 Huntington Ave
Boston, MA 02115
Subject :Investigative Journalism Request - Unveiling the Truth: Records on Albert Fentress (FOIA)
City of Poughkeepsie Police Department
62 Civic Center Plaza
Poughkeepsie, NY 12601
Dear FOIA Officer,
Under the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act, 5 U.S.C. § 552, I hereby request access to and copies of all records held by the City of Poughkeepsie Police Department pertaining to Albert Fentress.
I am an independent investigative journalist associated with TransparencyReport.pw, and I am conducting research on the history and activities of Albert Fentress. Albert Fentress is a convicted criminal who gained notoriety for his involvement in the abduction, rape, and murder of a college student in Poughkeepsie in the late 1980s. Fentress was arrested, tried, and convicted for these heinous crimes, and his case has been a subject of public interest and scrutiny for several years.
Additionally, there have been further allegations against Albert Fentress, including suspicions of involvement in other unsolved cases of a similar nature. These allegations have raised concerns within the community and have sparked discussions about the extent of Fentress's criminal activities. Therefore, I believe it is crucial to access the requested records to shed light on these allegations and provide a comprehensive understanding of the investigations conducted by the City of Poughkeepsie Police Department.
For the purpose of this request, the records I seek include, but are not limited to:
Arrest records and charging documents related to Albert Fentress.
Court records, including judgments, verdicts, and sentencing information.
Police reports, incident reports, and any other investigative documents related to Albert Fentress.
Correspondence and communications, including emails, letters, memoranda, or any other written exchanges mentioning or involving Albert Fentress.
Any audio or visual recordings, such as interviews, interrogations, or surveillance footage related to Albert Fentress.
Any internal memos, policies, or guidelines concerning the handling of Albert Fentress's case.
Given the profound impact of Albert Fentress's crimes on the community and the ongoing interest in understanding the scope of his criminal activities, accessing these records will contribute significantly to the public's understanding of the operations and activities of the City of Poughkeepsie Police Department.
Should any portion of the requested records be deemed exempt from disclosure, I request the release of any reasonably segregable non-exempt portions in accordance with 5 U.S.C. § 552(b). If an entire document is exempt, I request a justification, citing specific FOIA exemptions, and provision of an exemption log as per Vaughn v. Rosen, 484 F.2d 820 (D.C. Cir. 1973).
Please note your obligation under the law not to destroy any records potentially responsive to this request. Any withholding, redaction, or destruction of responsive records without proper justification constitutes a violation of the FOIA and is subject to litigation, as confirmed in Kissinger v. Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, 445 U.S. 136, 150 (1980).
Enclosed is a letter requesting a fee waiver for the processing of this request. As an independent investigative journalist associated with TransparencyReport.pw, I firmly believe that the information I seek is in the public interest, and its disclosure will greatly contribute to public understanding of the operations or activities of the government.
If the enclosed waiver is not accepted and there are any potential charges in excess of $200 associated with fulfilling my request, please inform me in advance.
As stipulated by the FOIA, I look forward to your response within twenty business days (5 U.S.C. § 552(a)(6)(A)(i)).
Thank you for your attention to this matter.
Sincerely,
Jordan Lassiter
Independent Investigative Journalist
TransparencyReport.pw
Email: Jordan@Lassiter.eu
Phone:845 218 0299
Enclosure: Fee Waiver Request Letter
Please be aware: All communications related to this request, including incoming and outgoing communications, will be publicly available on MuckRock.com. Additionally, any correspondence in relation to this request will be instantly published on the platform.
The requested documents will be made available to the general public, and this request is not being made for commercial purposes.
From: City of Poughkeepsie Police Department
Thank you for submitting a request for records to the City of Poughkeepsie, NY.
Your request reference number is Request Number: PD-2023-92 and your security key is 784740. Please have both numbers available when communicating with our staff.
Section 89(3)(a) of the Freedom of Information Law (FOIL) requires that an agency provide written acknowledgement of the receipt of a FOIL request within five (5) days.
Please be advised that the City Chamberlain’s office received your FOIL request, which will be sent to the relevant department(s) in possession of the requested record(s) and/or document(s).
The request will be granted or denied, in whole or in part, within approximately thirty (30) days.
Please have this reference number available when communicating with our staff regarding your request.
You will be notified via email when your records are available.
Thank you,
Office of the City Chamberlain
62 Civic Center Plaza
Poughkeepsie, NY 12601
Phone: 845-451-4276
Fax: 845-451-4239
CityChamberlain_Clerks@cityofpoughkeepsie.com
Note: This is an automated email notification. Please do not respond to this email.
From: City of Poughkeepsie Police Department
Hello,
The request Request Number: PD-2023-92 has been completed. Please click on the Request Link to retrieve your responsive documentation. Note, we do not have copies of the photographs taken or any of the evidence listed in the attached report. You may want to check with the Dutchess County District Attorney's Office as well. They have to appear for hearing every couple of years regarding Fentress' confinement.
Thank you,
Jasmin Davis
City Chamberlain
62 Civic Center Plaza
Poughkeepsie, NY 12601
Phone: 845-451-4276
Fax: 845-451-4239
CityChamberlain_Clerks@cityofpoughkeepsie.com
*Note: This is an automated email notification. Please do not respond to this email.
From: City of Poughkeepsie Police Department
Jordan,
I have two additional scans for the FOIL you requested through JUSTFOIA. JUSTFOIA PD-2023-92. The file size was too large to send everything. I tried to send these two additional, but they were too large. I think my Outlook email will allow me to do it.
Joseph M. Herring
Police Administrative Sergeant
62 Civic Center Plaza
Poughkeepsie, New York 12601
Phone: (845) 451-4198
Fax: (845) 451-4156
Email: Jherring@CityofPoughkeepsie.com<mailto:Jherring@CityofPoughkeepsie.com>
This e-mail, including any attachments, may contain highly sensitive and confidential information. It is intended only for the individual(s) named. If you received this e-mail in error or from someone who was not authorized to send it to you, do not disseminate, copy or otherwise use this e-mail or its attachments. Please notify the sender immediately by reply e-mail and delete the e-mail from your system. Under no circumstances should any information in this email be disseminated to media sources, or put out to social media sites.
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