• by Ray Schultz , January 28, 2025

The News/Media Alliance and several other organizations have filed an amicus brief, supporting journalistic access to juvenile court records. 

The case concerns an effort by documentary filmmaker Bill Lichtenstein to research a Massachusetts custody case that led to the death of a four-year-old child.

Custody of four-year-old Harmony M. was awarded to her father, who subsequently murdered her and was convicted of the crime.  

LC Media Productions filed a public records disclosure case with the Supreme Judicial Court for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The trial court rejected this motion. 

However, this decision "gives too short shrift to Appellant’s role as a journalist and the powerful, legitimate interest of the public in understanding what occurred in Harmony M.’s case, including any insight that may be obtained from the transcript and recording of her care and protection proceeding,” the amicus brief filed in December argues.  

It adds that the decision places “far too great a weight on purported privacy interests that, if they exist at all, are significantly diminished under the circumstances.” 

Rejecting the lower court’s concern that this documentary was intended for television, and that it might provide “entertainment,” the amicus brief states there is “good cause” for lifting the impoundment.  

“There is a legitimate interest in the Commonwealth and beyond in understanding what happened to Harmony — and how agencies, the Juvenile Court, and other institutions of the Commonwealth acted or failed to act.”