BOSTON (WHDH) - A judge has ordered the release of files from a sexual assault case involving Boston City Councilor Ricardo Arroyo, after the councilor filed to have the documents unsealed in the face of allegations overshadowing his campaign for district attorney.
Judge Debra Squires-Lee ordered the City and the Boston Police Department to release documents related to the 2005 case to Arroyo by 2 p.m. on Friday, with redactions.
In her ruling, Squires-Lee said part of the reason she wanted to release the documents was due to significant public interest.
“In light of the apparent and immediate impact on an ongoing Primary election and Arroyo’s ability to serve effectively his current role, I find that Arroyo will suffer irreparable harm if he is denied the requested materials to respond to the public allegations,” the judge said in a statement.
The allegations involve a case from 2005, when Arroyo was 18 years old. Though no charges were filed in that case, as well as another in 2007, both came to light during the race for Suffolk County District Attorney due to a Boston Globe article published in August.
The documents that are to be released will come with redactions ordered by the judge, blocking information or statements that would identify the alleged victim.
A lawyer representing the woman said in a statement that the victim respects the judge’s order, but “hopes that this intrusion into her life will not deter other victims from seeking the protection of the judicial system, which is so necessary for survivors of sexual abuse.”
“We also wish to reaffirm that our client told the truth,” Attorney Leonard Kesten said in the statement.
With only five days until the primary, the ordered release is a small win for Arroyo, who was stripped of his council assignments earlier this week due to the allegations.
“As I have maintained from the beginning, I’ve never sexually assaulted anyone,” Arroyo said in a statement. “And I know the records that I will receive tomorrow will show the allegations from 2005 were determined to be unfounded.”
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