COURT RULING: Documents Safe From Release

The Iowa Supreme Court says the University of Iowa can now keep documents related to a 2007 sexual assault investigation private.

The Iowa City Press-Citizen requested the documents in 2008 under Iowa’s open records laws.

The documents are related to an investigation into the alleged sexual assault of a female student athlete.  She claimed she was raped by two Hawkeye football players. A judge ordered the documents released in 2009 but the university filed an appeal.

Friday the Iowa Supreme Court overturned the ruling 4-3.

The court says releasing the documents could violate a federal law that prohibits the release of a student’s identification.