CO - Shanann Watts (34, dec.), Celeste"Cece" (3) and Bella (4) - MEDIA, MAPS, TIMELINES - NO DISCUSS

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OCT 4, 2018
Greeley Tribune, media coalition fight potential seal of autopsy reports in Christopher Watts triple homicide case

The Greeley Tribune submitted a motion Thursday contesting the potential seal of autopsy reports in the Christopher Watts triple murder case.

Joining The Tribune is a coalition of Colorado media outlets represented collectively by the Colorado Press Association and the Colorado Broadcasters Association. The Colorado Freedom of Information Coalition also joined the court action.

The motion, submitted at 3 p.m. in Weld District Court, argues a hearing within the context of a criminal proceeding is not an appropriate venue to determine whether or not the autopsy reports for Shanann Watts, 34, and her two daughters, Bella, 4, and Celeste, 3, should be made public.
 
OCT 6, 2018
Tribune opinion: Court must make autopsy reports public in Christopher Watts case
Last week, The Tribune, in conjunction with media partners across Colorado, filed a motion in Weld District Court seeking to make public the autopsy reports in the murder trial of Christopher Watts.

In his 22 years representing The Tribune and other media outlets, Zansberg can remember only one instance, the Columbine High School massacre, in which a judge ruled the release of autopsy reports would adversely affect the public, he said.

Specifically, the autopsy reports sought by the Tribune and other Colorado media in the Watts trial likely will shed meaningful light on a high-profile and important case in which both the prosecution and defense are acting on behalf of the public and are funded with taxpayer money.
 
OCT 8, 2018
Chris Watts Has a Family Picture in His Jail Cell, Says Source: 'He Has Nothing To do But Reflect'
His cell is no less sparse. PEOPLE has learned that the 33-year-old has just two personal effects: a Bible and a photo of his wife and children, 34-year-old Shan’ann Watts and girls Bella, 4, and Celeste, 3 — the same people he allegedly killed.

At a joint memorial service for Shan’ann and her daughters in August, she was remembered as “a woman of love,”

“She loved God, her family and her friends,” Father John Forbes told the mourners. “She was a woman of determination. She had dreams to be fulfilled, and she worked towards to those dreams. She wanted to make a difference. She wanted to be an exceptional wife and mother.”
 
OCT 9, 2018
Legal fight brews over release of autopsies in Christopher Watts triple-murder case
Defense attorneys for Christopher Watts are letting the court decide whether to seal the autopsy reports for Watts' wife and children, while a number of media organizations have stepped forward to say the court doesn't have the authority to do so in this case.

In a court document filed Oct. 4, the public defenders for Watts say the reasons offered by the prosecution to keep the autopsy reports from the public are contradictory to its previous positions.

The defense also says the prosecution's position that this could affect jurors and thus Watts' rights is incongruous with its "indignant objection to investigating prejudicial media leaks."
 
OCT 12, 2018
Court denies prosecutors’ request to seal autopsies of Shanann Watts, daughters
According to court documents, Weld County District Court Judge Marcelo Kopcow denied the motion Friday.

In the filing, Weld County District Attorney Michael Rourke and two of his deputy district attorneys argue the reports “will be critical evidence at trial.”

Christopher’s attorneys had also filed a response to a request from prosecutors to obtain DNA evidence, buccal swabs and finger and palm prints.

His attorney argues giving up fingerprints and DNA samples is unconstitutional.
 
Later Friday, the Weld County Coroner’s Office released the following statement:

“On the afternoon of Friday, October 12, 2018, the Weld County Coroner’s Office was advised that the Weld County District Court had just entered an order denying the Weld County District Attorney’s motion to seal the autopsy reports of Shanann Watts, Bella Watts and Celeste Watts, alleged victims of a homicide.

The court’s order indicated that a petition to seal instead must be filed by the Weld County Coroner’s Office as the custodian of the autopsy records.

The Weld County Coroner’s Office is now in consultation with the Weld County Attorney regarding the filing of such a petition to seal. Further information will be made available on Monday, October 15. There is no further information at this time.”

Court denies prosecutors’ request to seal autopsies of Shanann Watts, daughters
 
Zansberg said the media organizations also plan to oppose any future filings to seal the reports that the coroner may make.

"The press doesn't bear the burden of showing a countervailing interest," he said. State law presumes access to the records is in the public interest, both so the coroner's work can be reviewed and new information can shed light on high-profile case.

In the early stages of a criminal investigation, before anyone is arrested or charged, the judge may seal the autopsy reports, Zansberg said. Law enforcement may be questioning suspects and want to keep certain details about the cause of death private, he said.
Potential release of Christopher Watts case autopsies is focus of conflicting arguments
 
Monday, the Weld County Coroner, through the Weld County Attorney’s Office, filed a petition to block disclosure of the autopsy reports of Shannan Watts, Belle Watts and Celeste Watts.

A hearing date on this request has not yet been set.

This comes after a district court judge denied prosecutors’ request to seal the autopsies of Shanann Watts and her two daughters, who were killed in August.

Weld County Coroner files petition to block release of autopsies of Shanann Watts, daughters
 

Attachments

  • 390931372-Verified-Petition-Pursuant-to-CRS-24-72-201-2.pdf
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