Wright v. DOJ, No. 14-558, 2015 WL 1153372 (D.D.C. Mar. 16, 2015) (Huvelle, J.)

Wright v. DOJ, No. 14-558, 2015 WL 1153372 (D.D.C. Mar. 16, 2015) (Huvelle, J.)

Re: Request for records concerning plaintiff's conviction

Disposition: Denying defendant's motion for summary judgment; denying plaintiff's motion for summary judgment

• Exemption 7(C):  "In light of the breadth of the request and the absence of any evidence about what the search would produce, the Court cannot conclude that all responsive documents will so impinge on third parties' privacy rights as to be exempt from disclosure."  First, "the Court is not persuaded by defendant's contention that the requested documents could not reveal information about the operations and activities of the Executive Branch."  The court explains that "[t]he request for 'any and all documents, notes, and other records reflecting a grant of immunity' could reach, for example, notes outlining the rationale for offering a particular witness immunity."  "Such documents might shed light on how the U.S. Attorney's Office in Virginia exercises its prosecutorial discretion."  "As such, the Court cannot categorically conclude that plaintiff's request could not possibly yield any information of public interest."  "With respect to the privacy interests implicated by plaintiff's request, defendant has failed to demonstrate that the requested material would necessarily reveal protected information."  The court explains that "plaintiff is not asking for documents related to any particular person."  "A search might therefore uncover responsive documents that could be redacted to protect the identities of any named individuals."