Rhode Islander Sues Connecticut Town Over Arrest Posting Online

A Rhode Island teenager is suing a Connecticut town he says broke the law and violated his privacy by putting his name on an arrest log posted on the Internet.

The 18-year-old’s lawyer and other legal observers say the lawsuit against the town of Madison may be the first of its kind in the state.

The lawsuit filed in New Haven Superior Court says the teen, named only as John Doe, was charged with assault in September 2008 when he was 17 and attending a school in Madison.

Attorney Diane Polan says her client’s case was supposed to sealed from public view because of his age, but his name remained on the online arrest log for about a year.

Town Attorney Floyd Dugas says police made an honest mistake and it was corrected.