Madsen v. United Television, Inc.

HOWE, Associate Chief Justice:

This is an interlocutory appeal from an order granting in part and denying in part a motion by Salt Lake City for a protective order preventing discovery of its police department personnel and internal affairs files. The issue is whether these files, compiled on a police officer involved in a fatal shooting, are discoverable by a media defendant in a defamation action brought by the police officer.

FACTS

On October 26, 1987, police were called to the home of Clemente Garcia in Salt Lake City in connection with a domestic dispute. Garcia fled in his truck, pursued…