Unseal Attica uprising records
The families of the 43 people who died during the 1971 uprising at Attica prison, and New Yorkers in general, are arguably closer to learning the full truth about circumstances leading to the deaths than at any time in more than 40 years.
That's, of course, if a state Supreme Court justice goes along with State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman's request and opens the remaining two sealed volumes of a report on an investigation of the riot and prison retaking. Justice Patrick H. NeMoyer of Buffalo should end the uncertainty. Loved ones of both prisoners and hostages, as well as the public, deserve to know what really happened during the deadliest prison riot in American history.
Meantime, Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who to his credit also pressed for unsealing the records, can go a step further by ordering state agencies with Attica riot records to release them. The State Archive, alone, has about 100 boxes of records from earlier investigations.
The records that Schneiderman wants released stem from a mid-1970s state investigation conducted by the Meyer Commission, which was led by state Supreme Court Justice Bernard Meyer. It rebutted an earlier investigation by a state-appointed prosecutor, who alleged misdeeds, and concluded there was no "intentional coverup." However, the Meyer investigation acknowledged that "serious errors" were committed.
The nature of those "serious errors" is what needs to be aired. Opponents of unsealing the records, such as the union representing New York state troopers, point to the fact that secret grand jury testimony is included. While it's understandable that the Police Benevolent Association wants to protect the rights of troopers forced to testify about their actions during the uprising, Schneiderman has already made assurances that identities would be protected.
The way the situation now stands, there are just too many unanswered questions. The fact that the special prosecutor, Malcolm Bell is still insisting there was a coverup should make anyone wonder. Too, there's the blanket pardon former Gov. Hugh Carey issued after the investigations for both prisoners and troopers involved in the bloody uprising.
And it's suspicious that the state offered disability benefits to families of state employees involved in the riot without informing them they were precluded from suing the state.
It's said that justice should roll like waters. Justice NeMoyer can unplug the dam that's blocking the full truth. Unseal the Attica records.