Supreme Court keeps death penalty case file sealed

The U.S. Supreme Court is refusing to order Colorado to open the case file of a man on death row.

Attorneys for Sir Mario Owens asked the high court to find that keeping his case file sealed after his murder conviction violates the First Amendment. The judge at Owens’ trial forbade distribution of the file or even of a transcript of testimony. Owens’ lawyers say that keeps them from showing government misconduct in the trial.

Media organizations also asked the Supreme Court to overturn the Colorado courts’ decision. But the Supreme Court declined to consider the matter Monday.

Owens was convicted of killing a witness in another murder trial.