ProPublica Records Case Progresses in a "Win for Transparency"

The investigative journalism outlet ProPublica says it tried for months to get Navy court hearing transcripts and other records related to Ryan Sawyer Mays, a Navy seaman acquitted of starting a 2020 fire that destroyed a ship. But all of its requests were denied until Mays was acquitted, when the Navy finally handed over some heavily redacted documents, according to Courthouse News. ProPublica added a military judge, Captain Derek Butler as a defendant, who was dismissed from the case on Tuesday by U.S. District Judge Barry Ted Moskowitz of the Southern District of California, who at the same time ruled that the ProPublica case will move forward. “It’s a win for transparency,” said Sarah Matthews, deputy general counsel for ProPublica. “We’re so thrilled to see this.” ProPublica will file an amended complaint to challenge the Navy’s new rules for accessing records, which Matthews said still denies the public access to the courts and timely access to court records.