Suit accusing Prince William police chief of 'watchlist' moving forward in D.C. - Inside NOVA
Sure hope the allegations are not true...
Newsham accused of creating ‘watchlist’ for journalists, activistsA federal judge has overruled the District of Columbia’s attempt to toss a lawsuit claiming that, at his former job, Prince William County Police Chief Peter Newsham created a “watchlist” of lawyers, activists and journalists whose requests for public records would be delayed or denied.
Judge James Boasberg denied the district’s request to dismiss the lawsuit filed by attorney Amy Phillips. The suit claimed that Newsham, as chief of the Metropolitan Police Department, designated people whose requests would receive extra scrutiny to limit the release of information that “may lead to criticism of the department.”
Phillips filed the lawsuit against Washington on Feb. 2 in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. The office of D.C. Attorney General Karl Racine filed a motion to dismiss the case on March 11, but that was denied May 2.
On June 17, Boasberg set deadlines for a list of potential witnesses, discovery and a future status hearing.
Before being hired in Prince William, Newsham was chief of the Metropolitan Police Department from 2017 to early 2021, overseeing 4,500 employees. He has denied the allegations.
“There was not a watchlist,” he said in February. “Some of the folks who have reported on this issue, what I’ve asked them to do is read the lawsuit.”
Phillips’ lawsuit is based on information provided by Vendette Parker, who was MPD’s Freedom of Information Act officer from October 2017 to January 2020. The lawsuit is accompanied by a 12-page statement signed by Parker.