By KENNEDY GRIFFIN
(Greenfield, MA) Judge Mark Mason denied the City of Greenfield’s request for the sealed voir dire, or preliminary witness examination, of Lieutenant Todd Dodge and Chief Robert Haigh to be released. Mayor Wedegartner said the testimony was essential to the investigation that Lt. Dodge made “false allegations” concerning Chief Haigh’s past conduct and that the City’s investigation could not reach a conclusion without the recording.
In the Memorandum conveying his decision, Judge Mason said he “considered all relevant factors, including but not limited to, the nature of the parties and the controversy, the type of information and the privacy interests involved, the extent of the community interest, and the reason for the request” when he made his determination to deny the City’s request to obtain the sealed recording.