Pettis County Clerk Nick La Strada and two employees have filed a lawsuit over being recorded without their consent at the Pettis County Clerk’s Office.

The lawsuit was filed against the Pettis County Commission and the director of the county’s information technology department.

La Strada and the employees claim the commission directed the IT employees record audio and video in and outside the Pettis County Clerk’s office. The lawsuit claims the recordings violated voter’s rights to cast their ballots in secret, are an invasion of privacy and should be considered illegal wiretapping and the commission or IT employees never requested “permission or consent to record, listen to, or view audio or video transmissions from the cameras.”

La Strada stated on June 8, 2022 he was informed by IT employees that cameras outside and inside did not record audio transmissions and during live-streams.

La Strada stated he discovered on October 14, 2022, that the recordings had been transmitted from the cameras. La Strada alerted the Pettis County Sheriff and Pettis County Prosecuting Attorney after finding out video was being transmitted without consent.

The lawsuit claims private and confidential conversations were recorded without permission.

KMMO reached out to La Strada who had no comment on the lawsuit. KMMO has also reached out to the Pettis County Commission and IT Department but has received no response.