TULSA, Okla. (AP) - Attorney General Scott Pruitt says police mug shots are public records and must be released to the public.

The attorney general issued the opinion at the request of Republican Sen. Ron Justice of Chickashaw and Republican Sen. Jim Halligan of Stillwater. Justice tells the Tulsa World (http://is.gd/c8DEEb ) that he was asked to request the opinion by a newspaper and the Caddo County Sheriff's Office.

Justice says both entities wanted the pictures released but wanted to ensure they were acting within the law.

Pruitt's opinion says the release of a mug shot does not constitute an invasion of privacy in most instances. But the opinion notes that it must be clear that the photo does not mean a person has been convicted - only arrested and booked in the jail.

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Information from: Tulsa World, www.tulsaworld.com

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