MADISON - The state Department of Justice will prosecute a Taylor County sheriff's detective for releasing records of two unsolved murders to producers of a national television show.
Sergeant Steven Bowers is accused of felony misconduct in public office.
Under the law, police records are public, but authorities often withhold them on grounds they could compromise an ongoing investigation.
The State Journal reports the records were given to producers of the Oxygen network show "Cold Justice."
Bowers has admitted to releasing the records, but says he didn't intend to disregard department policies and, in hindsight, realized what he had done was wrong.
The Department of Justice handled the case for Taylor County prosecutors to avoid a conflict of interest.
Story By: Associated Press |