OSU Football Star Appeals Granting of School Paper's Motion to Unseal His File

By: (AP) A former Oklahoma State University football standout has decided to appeal a judge's decision to open his court file to the public. The judge had granted a motion filed by the OSU student newspaper, The Daily O'Collegian.

An attorney for Vernand Morency filed a petition with the Oklahoma Supreme Court on Monday asking that Morency's court file remain closed.

Morency, who announced last week that he's turning pro, sued two OSU officials in Payne County District Court in July 2003 to stay at OSU and to retain his athletic eligibility.

The court file was sealed throughout court proceedings. The case was dismissed Sept. 23.

The O'Collegian filed a motion Sept. 30 asking that file be opened.

District Judge Donald Worthington last week granted the motion to open the file, with deletions agreed upon by several attorneys, on Tuesday.

Morency's attorney, Stephen Jones, said he didn't plan to appeal but would ask for the entire file, without deletions, to be opened.

However, Morency asked to appeal, Jones said Monday.

Morency is appealing on the grounds that the O'Collegian does not have standing because the case was dismissed before the newspaper got involved and because the newspaper was not a party in the lawsuit, according to the petition.