From The Denver Post:  With the spate of horrible shooting tragedies in Colorado in recent years, authorities have learned many lessons about how to respond effectively.

Unfortunately, they’ve also learned some strategies that are less admirable — including keeping the public in the dark.

A judge’s order on Monday sealed almost all information about the state’s case against Robert Dear Jr., the man accused in the shooting at a Colorado Springs Planned Parenthood office.

Meanwhile, police won’t give a timeline of events or even say what kinds of weapons were used to kill three people, including a police officer. You may recall that President Obama referred to “weapons of war” in his call for tighter gun control after the shootings. But were weapons of war involved? The public should know.

Police also won’t discuss a motive or answer important questions that have fueled a national debate about abortion and terrorism since the shooting.

Without facts, much of the discussion is baseless. And yet defense attorneys have filed a motion seeking a gag order to further restrict information.

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