Sidney homicide raises question: Why won’t authorities release victim’s name?
In December 2024, a homicide occurred in Sidney, Maine, but authorities have withheld the victim's name, citing the need to notify next of kin. This lack of information has led to public concern and questions about transparency in the investigation.
An Excerpt
Sigmund D. Schutz, a partner at the Portland law firm Preti Flaherty who represents the Maine Trust for Local News, said that without more specific reasons, either in a motion from attorneys or order from a judge, the decision to seal the documents was not justified.
“If that were sufficient basis to impound records, all records of this type, in all criminal prosecutions, would be impounded,” Schutz said Tuesday. “That would turn the presumption in favor of public access on its head. Those same justifications could be asserted in every single criminal case.”