Some federal cases are sealed away from public view

By BRENDAN KIRBY
The Mobile Register

Mobile, AL - "I always thought of it as ripe for abuse," said Mobile lawyer Dom Soto, who nonetheless added that it is appropriate to keep some information secret. "It seems to be wide open as to what can be done under seal."

Lucy Dalglish, executive director of The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, said prosecutors generally seek to close cases in drug and terrorism matters where they want co-defendants to turn on each other. Allowing defendants to plead guilty behind closed doors might protect them from retribution, she said.

"There may be some merit to that. However, it's creating a completely secret system of justice," Dalglish said. "That means that there are people sitting in prisons and there is no public track record of how they got there. I find that appalling."