Under Wraps

Search warrants being kept under wraps

Logan County officials are keeping a tight lid on search warrants issued in the Gee family murder investigation, even though such documents are supposed to be public record.

"We've used a lot of search warrants, but we're not going to release that information until we move out of the investigative part of the investigation," Logan County Sheriff Steve Nichols said Friday.

Warrants are believed to have been used to allow searches of the Armington home of Jason Harris and Jennifer Earnest, where Jason's older brother Christopher Harris often stayed, as well as the Logan County homes of the Harris brothers' father and Nicole Gee, Christopher Harris' ex-wife.

Authorities also seized a primer-gray truck belonging to Christopher Harris that was parked at Nicole Gee's residence.

Officials with the Logan County Circuit Clerk's Office, which is responsible for keeping court records, said Friday the state's attorney's office has search-warrant applications and accompanying affidavits from police officers explaining why the warrants were needed.

Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan nearly two years ago ruled that search warrant applications and accompanying affidavits become public records after the warrants are served unless a judge orders the documents sealed.

However, a woman who answered a reporter's call to Logan County State's Attorney Michael McIntosh on Friday said the records will not be released because the investigation is continuing. The woman said the same thing after a reporter faxed a copy of Madigan's ruling to the office and asked to speak with McIntosh.

Under Madigan's opinion, it doesn't matter whether an investigation is pending or not. Absent a sealing order from a judge, the records are public, Madigan said.