Jacobs sues to block release of records, video of altercation with woman

GREEN BAY, Wis. -- Packers running back Josh Jacobs has filed a civil suit seeking a permanent injunction restricting access to records from his May 23 altercation with a woman at his home. According to Brown County (Wisconsin) Circuit Court records, Jacobs filed the suit Wednesday -- one day after the Hobart/Lawrence Police Department announced it had approved the release of certain records with appropriate redactions but that a party or parties involved appealed that decision. The initial criminal report said there is surveillance video from Jacobs' garage that shows part of the altercation with the woman. The filing said Jacobs is seeking a "permanent Injunction, protective order and order restricting access to records under Wis. Stat.19.356." That put on hold the release of any records and evidence in the case that had not been previously available. According to the lawsuit, which was obtained by multiple media outlets, Jacobs argues that the woman involved in the altercation has requested "to protect her privacy, dignity, personal security, emotional well-being, and ability to participate safely in the criminal justice process." He also argued that "redaction limited to names or faces would not adequately protect" the woman's identity and that advanced AI could be applied to surveillance video to identify her based on "her body shape and other indicia of her identity." Jacobs also argues in the suit that releasing the video "would reveal private details" of his garage's interior, including the "configuration, entrances, exits, doors, windows, storage areas, security arrangements, or other details that could be used to evaluate how the garage or residence might be entered." He also cites the increase in robberies of athletes' homes as a reason not to release the video. "Public sports figures have been targeted for robbery and related property crimes. The public availability of Plaintiff's schedule or travel information increases the risk that persons could identify periods when Plaintiff is away from home and use released information concerning the residence, garage, access points, security arrangements, or property to target the property. Widespread public dissemination of those details would materially increase Plaintiff's vulnerability to theft, burglary, robbery, trespass, or other targeted criminal conduct," the lawsuit states. ESPN filed a request for evidence under the Freedom of Information Act and was informed of the decision Tuesday. Jacobs pleaded no contest on Sept. 10 charges of battery and criminal destruction of property. He was convicted of battery and fined $1,000 and agreed to a deferred judgment agreement on a charge of damage to property. Two weeks later, a judge lifted a temporary seal of the records and turned the decision whether to release part or all of the records to the police department. Tuesday's announcement that the police department determined it would release some records did not say whether the surveillance video was part of the documents it deemed available for public consumption. The NFL is trying to get the video as part of its investigation. Jacobs has not played yet this season because he is on the commissioner exempt list, while the NFL completes its look into the matter. If Jacobs is suspended, time served on the exempt list would count toward the suspension.