Records Concerning Funding of Sheriff Freeman’s Criminal Defense

Dear Ms. Abel:

Pursuant to the Indiana Access to Public Records Act, Indiana Code § 5-14-3, I am requesting electronic copies of public records concerning any payment, proposed payment, reimbursement, insurance coverage, indemnification or other financial arrangement relating to the criminal defense of Jennings County Sheriff William Kenneth Freeman.

This request concerns records created, received or maintained from November 1, 2025, through the date the search is completed.

Please provide:

Records sufficient to identify whether Jennings County, the Jennings County Sheriff’s Office or any other public entity has paid, agreed to pay, reimbursed, authorized or otherwise committed public funds toward Sheriff Freeman’s criminal-defense expenses.
Any claims, invoices, vouchers, warrants, purchase orders, checks, payment records, reimbursement requests or accounting entries relating to legal services provided to Sheriff Freeman in connection with the criminal investigation, grand-jury proceedings or resulting criminal case.
Records sufficient to identify the attorney, law firm or other provider retained to represent Sheriff Freeman in connection with the criminal matter, if the representation is being paid for, reimbursed or arranged through public funds, county insurance or another county-related arrangement.
Any insurance policy, risk-pool agreement, coverage determination, reservation-of-rights letter, notice of claim or similar record addressing whether Sheriff Freeman’s criminal-defense expenses are covered, excluded, reimbursable or otherwise funded through county insurance or a county-affiliated risk-management arrangement.
Any contract, agreement, resolution, meeting record, authorization or written decision relating to the payment, reimbursement or funding of Sheriff Freeman’s criminal-defense expenses.
Records sufficient to identify the total amount paid or committed to date, the source of the funding and the account, fund, insurance policy or other financial mechanism used.
I am not requesting privileged legal advice, attorney work product or confidential defense strategy. If any responsive record contains exempt material, please redact only the exempt portion and produce the remainder. Please identify the statutory basis for each withholding or redaction.

If your office does not maintain some or all of the requested records, please advise which county office, official, insurer or other entity maintains them. Please also forward this request internally to the appropriate records custodian where appropriate.

If no responsive records exist, please confirm that in writing.

Please provide the records electronically by email.

Thank you.