New York City Told It Can’t Argue for Secrecy in Secret

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A federal magistrate said New York City’s police department cannot make secret arguments in favor of secrecy. Magistrate Judge James C. Francis IV said the public and the New York Civil Liberties Union may view the written arguments submitted by David Cohen, the department’s commissioner of intelligence, arguing in favor of keeping secret various documents about the department’s surveillance of protestors before the 2004 GOP Convention. “Permitting the submission of secret argument is antithetical to our adversary system of justice,” Judge Francis said.