Bank shooting victims’ IDs withheld under new amendment

MIAMI (AP) — Names of two of the five women killed in a Florida bank shooting are being withheld by law enforcement under a new constitutional amendment that has sparked confusion and uneven application around the state.

The “Marsy’s Law” amendment allows withholding from the public information that can be used to locate or harass victims or their relatives.

Since it took effect Jan. 8, some Florida authorities have stopped releasing crime victim information while others have continued to do so.

Authorities in Sebring told reporters that relatives of some of Wednesday’s bank shooting victims don’t want their identities disclosed under the law.

Barbara Petersen is president of the Tallahassee-based First Amendment Foundation. She says lawmakers need to ensure the amendment doesn’t conflict with the state’s public records laws.