Eavesdropping in Maine Jails

ABOUT THIS SERIES

Jailed defendants have a legal right to privately speak with their attorneys. Yet, in Maine, county jails are eavesdropping on these calls. Four jails recorded nearly 1,000 attorney-client calls in a single year and shared recordings with police and prosecutors before trial, a Maine Monitor investigation found. Often defense lawyers are not told when their calls are recorded and agencies lack rules about what to do once law enforcement and prosecutors eavesdrop on jailed suspects’ calls to their attorneys.

FEATURED STORY:

Jailed defendants expected private attorney calls. They didn’t always get them.

Murder suspects fear they can’t get a fair trial after state police acknowledge listening to portions of phone calls with their attorneys.

BySamantha Hogan

January 26, 2022

All Stories:

Maine Monitor wins public records dispute with York County

York County officials were ordered to release records originally requested in June 2021 by The Maine Monitor.

BySamantha Hogan

September 12, 2023

Maine passes bill to curb recording of attorney-client phone calls in jails

The legislation, which still needs the governor’s signature, would require county jails to maintain a registry of attorney contact information.

BySamantha Hogan

July 2, 2023

Maine lawmakers consider making jail phone calls to lawyers free

Proposed legislation seeks to protect defendant rights to attorney-client privilege in jails.

BySamantha Hogan

March 5, 2023

Maine group recommends phone numbers be collected to prevent more recordings of attorneys

Questions about penalties for investigators who receive confidential recordings unanswered as of Tuesday.

BySamantha Hogan

November 1, 2022

Study group recommends stricter policies about access to prisoner phone calls

More recommendations may be considered on Nov. 1.

BySamantha Hogan

October 19, 2022

Study group weighs statewide solution to prevent recording of prisoners’ phone calls with lawyers

Recommendations would go to the Legislature. It comes after months of reporting by The Maine Monitor.

BySamantha Hogan

October 5, 2022

Maine prosecutors drop indictment amid allegations investigator ‘monitored’ attorney calls

Kennebec County memo shows investigator monitored calls a man made to his lawyer in April 2022.

BySamantha Hogan

September 27, 2022

Maine sheriffs adopt changes to prevent individual jails from recording confidential calls, but no statewide solution emerges

10 facilities recorded jailed defendants’ calls to attorneys, an investigation finds.

BySamantha Hogan

September 25, 2022

Study group to scrutinize jail, prison policies amid reports calls to lawyers were recorded

Strip searches and face-to-face meetings among the policies also being reviewed by new legislative committee.

BySamantha Hogan

September 7, 2022

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DATABASE OF RECORDED CALLS

Maine jails recorded nearly 1,000 calls from inmates to their attorneys at the Aroostook, Androscoggin, Franklin and Kennebec county jails. The Maine Monitor filed public records requests to obtain the records, which span June 2019 to May 2020. 

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