By Hallie Warnock Johnson
A shorter version of this story appeared in the Idaho Statesman on August 3rd, 2025.
Recently, Moscow police released hundreds of unsealed documents related to the University of Idaho murders case, just hours after the sentencing. While disturbing to read, the public has a legal right to access such information.
In April, it was reported that James Johnson was sentenced in the murder of his cellmate (my brother), Milo Warnock, at Idaho State Correctional Center. Weeks after the sentencing, I made a public records request to the Idaho State Police for the investigatory reports in that case. I received a denial citing that law enforcement investigatory records and Department of Correction records are exempt from public disclosure. In actuality, those records may be subject to release, but will require petitioning the denial. At best, the state wishes to impose obstacles to prevent the release of information. At worst, it hides its own incompetence, corruption and culpability. Either way, it is disrespectful to the citizens that it serves.
The right to records isn’t about sensationalizing a tragedy. It’s about ensuring transparency and accountability. Even if no one ever requests a report, the possibility encourages thorough investigations. While the release of records of a civilian murder may shed light on the incident, what outcome do we seek as a result?
When individuals entrusted in the care of the state are harmed, it is of utmost importance that the public has visibility into those transgressions. Incarcerated individuals are a vulnerable population, unable to exercise choices to maximize personal safety. Public access to investigatory reports of government agencies may influence changes that can be enacted to ensure that others are not similarly harmed. We cannot wholly trust that the system will do the right thing in the absence of unbiased oversight and influence of public opinion.
Irrespective of the varying viewpoints regarding justice and incarceration, I believe the majority of my fellow Americans agree that we have a right to information.
About the author:
Hallie Warnock Johnson was raised in Lewiston, Idaho and is a graduate of the University of Idaho. She developed a keen interest in prison reform advocacy after her brother, a non-violent DUI offender, was murdered by his cellmate in an Idaho prison in 2023. Her voice has been captured via letters to the editor in the Idaho Statesman and the Lewiston Tribune. She aims to continue writing and is interested in connecting with action-oriented advocacy groups, and is open to speaking engagements.
By day, Hallie works as a software developer at Amazon. She currently resides in the Ballard neighborhood of Seattle with her husband and their (almost) four-year-old son.