Douglas County dispute over sealing affidavit in child sex case

The fight over Steven Lee Braswell’s arrest affidavit has become a test of how much Douglas County residents get to see when a child sex case collides with fair-trial rights. The question before the court is whether the sworn document that explained Braswell’s arrest should be released in full, narrowed with redactions or sealed from public view.

Braswell, 75, was arrested in the 400 block of Michigan Street in Lawrence and charged May 12, 2026, with aggravated criminal sodomy and aggravated indecent liberties with a child. The child in the case was born in 2010, which means the alleged victim was younger than 14 at the time of the conduct described in the charging documents. The allegations are said to stem from 2016, and the charges carry the possibility of life in prison.

Attorney Michael Clarke, who represents Braswell, has argued that no part of the affidavit should be released. He says even a redacted version could taint the jury pool and make it harder for Braswell to receive a fair trial. The state, as described in the defense filing, took a more limited position and suggested redactions instead of a full seal, but that response was itself filed under seal.

The dispute turns on what a probable-cause affidavit is and who gets to see it. In Kansas, the affidavit is the sworn account police use to explain why they believed they had probable cause to arrest a person and hold that person to answer criminal charges. K.S.A. 22-2302 says that after an arrest warrant or summons is executed, supporting affidavits are to be made available to the defendant and, on request, to any person, subject to the statute’s disclosure and redaction rules. Kansas Supreme Court Rule 22 also removes probable-cause affidavits from routine electronic public access, except as allowed by statute.

That makes the Braswell filing more than a routine paperwork dispute. Douglas County District Court, with Judge Stacey Donovan handling the division referenced in the docket system, has recently shown a willingness to restrict access in similar cases. In March 2026, another Douglas County judge ordered additional arrest affidavits sealed completely rather than merely redacted. The Douglas County District Attorney’s Office also sought sealing in earlier sex-crime cases, including one involving Kenneth W. Soap in August 2025.

The stakes reach beyond this case. If the court keeps Braswell’s affidavit sealed, the public will learn less about the basis for the arrest until later in the proceedings. If the court orders disclosure, even in redacted form, the county preserves more transparency in a case involving a child and allegations serious enough to expose Braswell to a life sentence. For Douglas County, the ruling will help define how far open records go when the right to know meets the right to a fair trial.