FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 1997

Terrell M. Johnson vs Bob Butterworth

No. 89,022

Johnson is on death row for first-degree murder and second-degree murder in the Dec. 4, 1979, killings of Orange County tavern owner James Dodson and a customer, Charles Himes. Under Florida public records laws, he asked the Attorney General to disclose documents about Johnson's case. When the Attorney General refused, Johnson asked the trial court to order disclosure. The trial court denied the request in part because of an exemption shielding the Attorney General's records in capital postconviction proceedings. Johnson now argues that this violates state and federal law.