Sept. 20, 2019 5:56 p.m.

Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker and COMBAT Director Vince Ortega issued this statement this evening regarding a press statement made today by County Executive Frank White’s office.

In our own meeting this afternoon with BKD, BKD confirmed that the only specific alleged inaccuracy identified by County Executive Frank White’s office was information given to them by the County Executive’s office. So any error would be the County Executive’s error.

BKD was always aware that the report was being released once it was final because it was a public record regarding public funds. We advised them it would be released within days of it becoming final. And we made clear it would be released without redactions. We also advised them once the report was released. 

It was important to the integrity of this report that other county departments were not given the opportunity to scrub, redact or delay this report, as has been practiced in some county departments.

You should be reminded that the County Executive’s office heavily redacted a consultant’s report on the poor conditions at the Jackson County Detention Center and sought to seal documents that supported a grand jury’s report on conditions at the jail.

We will review any other specific allegations of any error with our auditors.