Judge Sides with Idaho Media on Prison Case

BOISE, Idaho (AP) — A federal judge has sided with a coalition of 17 Idaho news organizations in denying a request by a private prison operator to seal whatever it wants in a lawsuit filed by inmates. U.S. District Judge Edward Lodge issued an order Tuesday scaling back the expansive protection order sought by the Corrections Corporation of America — Idaho's private prison contractor.

Earlier this year, CCA attorneys sought permission to seal a wide range of court records on grounds it needed to hide certain information from public view for security and privacy reasons.

The media coalition includes The Associated Press, Idaho Statesman, The Spokesman-Review, The Times-News, KBOI-TV, Idaho Press-Tribune, Post Register, Lewiston Tribune, Moscow-Pullman Daily News, Coeur d'Alene Press, Bonner County Daily Bee, Idaho Press Club and the Newspaper Association of Idaho.