County Must Hand Over Selected E-mails in Mosque Case

A judge ruled Wednesday that Rutherford County officials must reveal selected e-mails in an ongoing lawsuit that challenges the site of a Murfreesboro mosque.

Opponents of a new Islamic Center say the county violated the Open Meetings Act when approving the center, and they’re asking to see e-mails between County Mayor Ernest Burgess and two planning directors to prove their case.

County Attorney Josh McCreary says the request for 31,000 emails dating back to December 2009 was too broad and could reveal personal and medical information. He suggested coming up with specific search terms. Plaintiffs’ Attorney Joe Brandon argued that narrowing the search could leave crucial e-mails unseen.

But Chancellor Robert Corlew III ruled in favor of limiting the search and told plaintiffs to submit a list of terms. An e-mail search will begin next Wednesday.

The court has set another hearing for April 13 on the county’s motion to dismiss the lawsuit in its entirety.