IN THE SUPREME COURT OF PENNSYLVANIA
MIDDLE DISTRICT
IN RE: THE THIRTY-FIVE STATEWIDE : No. 175 MM 2014
INVESTIGATING GRAND JURY :
:
:
PETITION OF: ATTORNEY GENERAL :
KATHLEEN G. KANE :
ORDER
PER CURIAM
AND NOW, this 18th day of August, 2015, this Court’s order of December 19,
2014, is hereby UNSEALED.
UNSEALED PER ORDER OF
THE COURT DATED
AUGUST 18, 2015
IN THE SUPREME COURT OF PENNSYLVANIA
MIDDLE DISTRICT
IN RE: THE THIRTY-FIVE STATEWIDE : No. 175 MM 2014
INVESTIGATING GRAND JURY :
:
:
PETITION OF: ATTORNEY GENERAL :
KATHLEEN G. KANE :
ORDER
PER CURIAM
AND NOW, this 19th day of December, 2014, the Application to File under Seal
is GRANTED, and the Application for Extraordinary Relief is DENIED.
This Court notes that, per the opinion of the Supervising Judge William R.
Carpenter, the purpose of the protective order, entered per the authority of 18 Pa.C.S. §
4954, “was/is to prevent the intimidation, obstruction and/or retaliation, in the ordinary
sense of those words . . . . [and] was never intended to prevent the [Office of Attorney
General] from carrying out its constitutional duties.” Opinion, dated 12/12/2014, at 10-
11 (filed at 171 MM 2014). Additionally, as explained by Judge Carpenter, the
protective order “is not intended to restrict or impact ‘appropriate public [disclosure]’ of
information connected with the possession and/or distribution of possibly pornographic
images by members of the [Office of Attorney General].” Id. at 11.
Mr. Justice Stevens notes his Dissent and would grant relief to the OAG in the
Application except for that portion that relates to witness intimidation and would direct
that this Order be filed in the normal course of Court business and publically available.