A 3rd Circuit judge has denied a motion by prosecutors to issue a gag order in the murder case against Addam Swapp, Jonathan Swapp and John Timothy Singer.
Creighton Horton, assistant attorney general, asked Judge Maurice Jones last week to enjoin attorneys and investigators assigned to the case from making any public statements.Horton said he sought the order to prevent "leaks," which, he said, plagued the federal prosecution.
But defense attorneys and attorneys representing local media argued against such an order, saying it would violate the First Amendment and that American Bar Association guidelines regarding disclosure already exist.
Jones said Monday he will admonish attorneys and others involved with the case to follow those guidelines.
The Swapp brothers and Singer are charged with the Jan. 28 death of state Corrections Lt. Fred House, who was shot during the climax of a 13-day standoff that began with the bombing of an LDS stake center about a mile from the Singer property in Marion, Summit County.
A preliminary hearing is set for Oct. 20.
The defendants, along with Singer's mother, Vickie Singer, were convicted several months ago of federal bombing and assault offenses.