ACLU of Nevada sues NDOC, LVMPD for records related to in-custody killing at Southern Desert Correctional Center

LAS VEGAS – The American Civil Liberties Union of Nevada filed a lawsuit on Aug. 24 against the Nevada Department of Corrections (NDOC) and the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (LVMPD) for refusing to release public records related to the death of Ryan Anthony Warren-Hunt, who was brutally beaten and stabbed to death while in NDOC custody.

Under the Nevada Public Records Act, government agencies are required to release public records upon request, unless a specific legal exemption applies. ACLU of Nevada attorneys argue that NDOC and LVMPD have not provided sufficient legal reason for withholding records related to Warren-Hunt's death. Instead, the agencies have refused to identify what records exist, provided incomplete responses, cited irrelevant cases, and claimed records could not be released because of an open criminal investigation.

The lawsuit, ACLU of Nevada v. Nevada Department of Corrections, Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, Case No. A-26-955191-W, filed on behalf of Warren-Hunt's mother and sister, asks the court to order NDOC and LVMPD to comply with the Nevada Public Records Act and produce the requested records.

ACLU of Nevada executive director Athar Haseebullah said:

“It’s disappointing to see yet another government agency attempting to keep public records away from the public. Here, a man was killed while in NDOC’s custody, which raises serious questions about what is happening within NDOC facilities, but rather than being fully transparent with the public, we’ve instead received generic excuses to keep these records hidden away, likely to avoid further scrutiny of what’s going on in Nevada prisons. We will keep fighting for transparency and accountability within government. It’s embarrassing that tax dollars will be used to pay for attorneys to try to find ways to keep public records away from the public, but per usual, we’ll get to the bottom of this in court.”

ACLU of Nevada prisoners rights attorney Danielle Bennett said:

“The way Mr. Warren-Hunt was murdered was vicious and inhumane, and his family deserves to know the truth about what happened to him. He was a brother, a son, a friend, and most of all, a human being. For NDOC to just shrug its shoulders at us when we’re talking about the murder of a man in its custody is disgusting behavior. We cannot turn our backs on these atrocities just because the victims were incarcerated. NDOC and LVMPD have a duty, and quite frankly, a moral imperative to turn over the records we requested so we can rightfully seek justice for Mr. Warren-Hunt and his family.”