From The Cincinnati Enquirer Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine argued Tuesday that releasing final autopsy reports of the April 22 Pike County killings would jeopardize the ongoing investigation and made the case for mediation of lawsuits for the reports' release.
DeWine, in a filing with the Ohio Supreme Court, said that transparency of law enforcement is important, but so is the "ability of law enforcement to apprehend and prosecute criminals." DeWine was responding to a lawsuit The Columbus Dispatch filed Aug. 12, which mirrored The Enquirer's lawsuit against the Pike County Coroner's Office for the autopsy records filed July 22.
The Dispatch argued against the mediation, saying it wouldn't be fruitful.
"Mediation likely only serves to advance the state's agenda of delaying the production of the final Rhoden autopsy records," a filing stated.
In reply, DeWine said mediation offers the parties involved the opportunity to explore solutions that "could address the concerns of all parties efficiently and expeditiously as possible."
Jack Greiner, general counsel for The Enquirer and Cincinnati.com, said the mediation is a delay tactic.
"In our cases (one for the preliminary autopsy and one for the final report), we have asked the AG for a settlement proposal in order to move the mediation along," Greiner said. "Despite their statements about wanting to resolve the case, they have refused to make any settlement proposal. That is not a good faith approach."