A local police department has been ordered to release records about an unsolved 1994 rape to a private investigator working on behalf of a convicted murderer who claims he has been wrongfully accused.

Ralph Jones is investigating the case of Anthony DiPippo, who is serving a 25-year-to-life sentence for the rape and murder of 12-year-old Josette Wright of Putnam County. Jones requested records from the Kent Police Department about another 1994 rape that DiPippo believes contains evidence that may prove he was wrongfully convicted.

But Kent police denied the request and justified the decision by invoking the state's Freedom of Information Law (FOIL), which exempts law enforcement records from disclosure if their release would interfere with an ongoing investigation, and Civil Rights Law §50-b, which provides confidentiality for victims of sexual assault and prohibits public officials from releasing information that could reveal their identity.