Court says Va. isn’t required to release execution manuals

(AP) – The Virginia Supreme Court says the Department of Corrections doesn’t have to release manuals used to guide executions.

The court says current or prior execution manuals are exempt from Freedom Information Act requests.
    
In its ruling, the court says the manuals are covered by a public-safety exemption that doesn’t explicitly require the release of any non-exempt portion.
    
The exemption allows records such as architectural drawings to remain confidential for security reasons.
    
Wednesday’s ruling overturned a September 2014 decision by a Fairfax County Circuit Court judge ordering the state to release the execution manual and several other documents. The Supreme Court sent the case back to the circuit court to reconsider the release of the other documents, which include the wiring and operation of the electric chair.