Part 4/7:
Testimony presented in court revealed that Willis's open records custodian, Dexter Bond, was dismissive and hostile towards Ashley Merchant, suggesting that personal animosity distorted how requests were handled. Bond admitted to refusing to communicate via phone regarding the requests and claimed confusion about the nature of the request. Such behavior reflects poorly on the office and indicates a systemic failure to comply with public records law.
The judge found that Bond's lack of effort in conducting searches for the requested information was inadequate and showed a lack of good faith. These failures contributed to the strong ruling against Willis.