Man charged with killing family denied leak investigation

A judge has denied a request to investigate if prosecutors or police leaked information to the media in the case of a Colorado man charged with killing his family and dumping their bodies at an oil worksite.

The Daily Camera reports attorneys for Christopher Watts filed a motion last month asking for an investigation into extrajudicial statements that could prejudice a jury in the case, pointing to a number of news articles that used unnamed sources close to the investigation.

Weld County District Court Judge Marcelo Kopcow wrote in denying the motion last week that the defense failed to show any court violations or evidence of Watts suffering from prejudice.

Watts was arrested last month in the deaths of 34-year-old Shanann Watts, 4-year-old Bella and 3-year-old Celeste.