The defendants, including five John Doe police officers, brought a motion seeking a publication ban, sealing order, and pseudonym order to protect their identities in a civil action concerning the shooting death of Ejaz Choudry.
The court dismissed the motion, finding that the defendants failed to meet the high evidentiary burden required to justify an exception to the open court principle.
The court emphasized the public interest in transparency and police accountability, particularly in cases involving state action and racialized communities, and found the evidence of risk to the officers' safety to be speculative.
