Hearing in Hunninghake injunction case postponed

IOWA CITY - A Johnson County court hearing has been postponed in a case filed by an on-leave University of Iowa researcher seeking to stop the university from releasing  investigation records to the media.

The hearing was scheduled for April 1 in Johnson County. But Leon Spies, attorney for Dr. Gary Hunninghake, filed an unresisted motion Thursday to continue the hearing to a later date.

Spies on Friday said he requested the continuance because the The Gazette of Cedar Rapids made an additional information request to the UI in February under Iowa open records law, seeking information about computer work orders regarding Hunninghake's UI computer.

That means The Gazette also would be a subject of the injunction hearing, along with the Associated Press and the Iowa City Press-Citizen, media outlets that also made open records requests of the UI regarding Hunninghake. Spies said attorneys wanted to give notice to The Gazette and give an opportunity to respond in the hearing.

Hunninghake filed suit in Johnson County seeking to stop the UI from releasing any information about the internal university investigation of him. It seeks an injunction prohibiting officials from disclosing records requested by the media.

Hunninghake was under investigation by UI Police for child pornography when he stabbed himself in Chicago last April, according to a Chicago police report, but Spies said that investigation found no basis for criminal charges.

UI officials in February said they are pursuing unspecified action against Hunninghake, who has been on paid leave from his $360,000 a year job at the UI since April 23.

Hunninghake, 64, was director of the university's Institute for Clinical and Translational Research. He told Chicago police he was stabbed and robbed April 24 while jogging in downtown Chicago, the day after he was put on leave at the UI. Hunninghake later admitted to Chicago police he stabbed himself.

Hunninghake, who was charged with falsifying a stabbing report, pleaded guilty Monday in Cook County Circuit Court in Chicago to a misdemeanor charge.

He pleaded guilty in January to misdemeanor disorderly conduct in Cook County, Illinois. He was originally charged with felony disorderly conduct.