The Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office last week stopped short of denying it has key dispatch records in the Nizah Morris case, but the agency hasn’t yet provided any records in response to PGN’s request for them.
In an attestation filed Aug. 19, the D.A.’s Office vaguely indicated to the state Office of Open Records that it does have a record responsive to PGN’s request.
But the agency didn’t release the record, nor did it cite supporting legal authority for withholding it.
The state open-records office must decide whether to order the D.A.’s Office to release all complete dispatch records for a vehicle stop by Officer Elizabeth Skala during the early-morning hours of Dec. 22, 2002.
Shortly before the vehicle stop, Skala gave Morris a Center City courtesy ride. Minutes after the ride, the transwoman was found with blunt-force trauma to her head.
Her homicide remains unsolved.
In an Aug. 25 submission, PGN reiterated its request for all complete dispatch records for Skala’s vehicle stop.
“Officer Skala’s vehicle stop is a major component of the Nizah Morris incident,” the submission stated. “It affected the city’s emergency response to Ms. Morris, and it played a significant role in the lack of a prompt criminal investigation. It’s in the public interest to have accountability and transparency in the Morris case, including full access to dispatch records relating to Officer Skala’s vehicle stop.”
PGN also asked that the D.A.’s Office provide an attestation signed under penalty of perjury if it claims to have no additional dispatch records for Skala’s vehicle stop, apart from any it provides to the paper.
Skala’s vehicle stop took place near 13th and Market streets, while she was still assigned to handle Morris, who was extremely inebriated.
A motorist who had nothing to do with the Morris incident was driving with expired registration, and Skala issued a traffic citation.
The dispatch records for the vehicle stop could help explain why Morris’ initial police-tracking numbers were voided at the 911 call center.
Voiding those tracking numbers cleared the way for responding officers to file paperwork that didn’t mention the courtesy ride, nor the subsequent assault.
Despite repeated questioning by members of the public, local authorities haven’t explained why the tracking numbers were voided.
Morris is believed to be the only homicide victim in the U.S. who had pending police-tracking numbers at the time of her homicide that were later voided without public explanation.
In 2009, the D.A.’s Office refused to confirm or deny whether it had complete dispatch records for the vehicle stop, claiming such information would compromise an ongoing homicide investigation.
The D.A.’s Office has until Sept. 4 to reply to PGN’s submission. A decision by the open-records office is expected on or before Oct. 10.
Last year, the city’s Police Advisory Commission recommended state and federal probes of the Morris case, citing an “appalling” local investigation.
Shortly after the PAC’s recommendation, Morris advocates formed the Justice for Nizah committee, which seeks a probe by state Attorney General Kathleen G. Kane.
The next J4N meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m. Oct. 27 at the William Way LGBT Community Center, 1315 Spruce St.