Packers star Josh Jacobs sues to have evidence from domestic abuse case permanently sealed
Green Bay Packers running back Josh Jacobs is suing a Wisconsin police department in an effort to keep records and evidence from his battery case permanently sealed.
The lawsuit was filed against the Hobart-Lawrence Police Department on Wednesday in Brown County Circuit Court.
Jacobs has already pleaded no contest to misdemeanor charges of battery and criminal damage to property following a May altercation with his then-girlfriend. He was ultimately charged in August as prosecutors claimed to have corroborating evidence in the form of surveillance video from Jacobs’ garage.
The 28-year-old NFL star was ordered last month to attend counselling and pay restitution to the victim.
Last month, district judge Marc A. Hammer cancelled a temporary order sealing the evidence at the victim’s request. Since September 11, the decision of whether or not to release the evidence has been left in the hands of Hobart-Lawrence police, who have thus far refused to share it publicly.
Attorneys for the victim filed a motion in September in their own effort to seal the records.
Green Bay Packers running back Josh Jacobs is suing a Wisconsin police department in an effort to keep records and evidence from his battery case permanently sealed.
Josh Jacobs has been ordered to pay restitution in the case and seek counseling
In Jacobs’ lawsuit, his attorney Clarence Duchac cited the victim’s motion while arguing that the evidence should remain sealed.
‘[Jacobs] joins and supports [the victim’s] position that the identifying, private and sensitive records associated with the underlying incident should not be publicly released,’ read an excerpt published by The Associated Press.
The Daily Mail has sought the complaint from Brown County Circuit Court officials as well as the evidence from Hobart-Lawrence police.
Meanwhile, the NFL is also trying to obtain the evidence as part of its investigation into the incident, a league spokesman told The Daily Mail last month.
Jacobs remains on the commissioner’s exempt list, meaning he cannot play or practice with the Packers, but is still being paid.
Jacobs’ attorney also cited a recent string of robberies at the home of famous athletes in arguing that the evidence from the case should remain sealed.
‘The public availability of [Jacobs´] schedule or travel information increases the risk that persons could identify periods when [Jacobs] is away from home and use released information concerning the residence, garage, access points, security arrangements, or property to target the property,’ read one portion of the lawsuit.
‘Widespread public dissemination of those details would materially increase [Jacobs´] vulnerability to theft, burglary, robbery, trespass, or other targeted criminal conduct.’
