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The News & Record filed a lawsuit Thursday against the City of Greensboro and Greensboro Police Chief Tim Bellamy, seeking the release of more information about three officers who are the subject of criminal and administrative investigations.

The suit, filed in Guilford County Superior Court, comes just hours before the Greensboro City Council's 4 p.m. meeting to discuss whether to release more information about the case.

Sgt. A.S. Wallace, 43; Officer J.O. LeGrand, 37; and Officer C.S. Stevens, 42, have been suspended with pay since Dec. 18, when the department began a "criminal and administrative investigation" in connection with an alleged assault.

Taxpayers still don't know when and where the alleged assault took place, or what type of assault is being alleged.

The police department and city legal staff say details of the alleged assault that are normally public — including the date, time, location and nature of the alleged assault — are protected under personnel laws because of the administrative investigation.

The News & Record disagrees. By its own admission, the Greensboro Police Department is conducting a criminal investigation into the matter, which is public record, according to the suit.

By not releasing the information, the city is violating state law, the suit states.

State statutes allow the council to vote to override that rule if the information is in the best interest of the public. That will be the subject of the 4 p.m. City Council meeting.

Contact Margaret Moffett Banks at 373-7031 or margaret.banks@news-record.com