KSP probe of shredded LRC documents remains active

The Kentucky State Police investigation into the shredding of documents by former Legislative Research Commission Director Robert Sherman remains an open and active case 16 months after the shredding took place.

The probe began in September of 2013 after The Courier-Journal reported that Sherman returned to his office on the Sunday following his resignation and shredded documents while removing his personal belongings.

Sherman acknowledged he shredded documents, but said he was not trying to conceal anything and that none of the destroyed records were important or related to then-recent sexual harassment allegations made by staff members against former state Rep. John Arnold.

The newspaper report prompted House Speaker Greg Stumbo and House Minority Leader Jeff Hoover to call for the investigation.

The State Police initially concluded the probe last May, saying it found no wrongdoing.

But a Courier-Journal report questioned the thoroughness of the investigation primarily because records showed that while state police had taken Sherman's computer as part of the investigation, they never looked at the emails and other records within it.

After the newspaper report, the state police reopened the case.

Earlier this month, The Courier-Journal filed an Open Records Act request to examine the investigation files. But that request was denied.

A letter from the state police legal affairs branch said the records would not be released because the investigation "is still open and pending."

Sgt. Michael Webb, of the state police public affairs branch, said on Friday he could not immediately say what sort of investigative activity has taken place since the case was reopened, or say why the investigation has taken so long.