Barry Scott given copy of internal police investigation

Oldies DJ Barry Scott went back to court April 11, asking Orleans District Court Judge Therese Wright for internal police documents related to his arrest last July while DJing a private house party. Wright will decide at a later date whether to grant Scott's request, but at the hearing Provincetown Police voluntarily provided Scott with a copy of an investigation into his arrest conducted by the Massachusetts State Police at the request of Barnstable County District Attorney Michael O'Keefe's office. Scott, who was charged with resisting arrest, disorderly conduct, and disturbing the peace, claims that police overreacted and used excessive force during his arrest following a series of noise complaints. Scott suffered injuries to his leg and toes and a gash on his nose.

William Korman, Scott's attorney, said that the report provided by Provincetown police will help Scott's case, although he declined to say whether there was any specific information in the report that bolsters Scott's claims of police brutality. The report contains interviews with the arresting officers about what occurred the night of Scott's arrest.

"Anytime that an arresting officer gives a statement regarding the facts and circumstances that led to the arrest, it's helpful to the defendant," said Korman. "The report itself is important because it provides us with yet another viewpoint of what happened the night [of the arrest]."

Korman did not respond by deadline to requests to provide Bay Windows with a copy of the report.

He said he asked Wright to grant Scott access to other internal documents related to the case that police have declined to share with him. Specifically he said he requested copies of any Provincetown Police internal affairs reports relating to the summer officers who took part in the arrest as well as any civilian complaints against those summer officers. Each summer Provincetown hires a group of seasonal officers to expand the capacity of the police department during the tourist season.

Provincetown Acting Police Chief Warren Tobias did not return a call to comment for this story.

Korman said Scott, the host of the popular syndicated radio show "The Lost 45s with Barry Scott," will go back to court on May 30, although Wright may rule on his request for the documents before then.