The Colorado attorney general’s office filed for a rehearing Monday to keep sealed the indictment against Aaron Thompson, charged in the death of his daughter Aarone.
The office filed the petition in front of the Colorado Supreme Court on behalf of Arapahoe County District Judge Mark Hannen.
After Thompson was charged with 60 counts last year, Hannen agreed to keep most of the grand jury indictment sealed.
The Denver Post and The Associated Press filed a lawsuit asking the Colorado Supreme Court to review the issue. This month, the high court said the indictment should be released in its entirety, minus the names of alleged victims of child abuse and sexual abuse.
In the petition for a rehearing, Attorney General John Suthers argued that to “preserve the defendant’s right to a fair trial,” the indictment should be kept sealed. That was the same reasoning Hannen gave earlier.
Suthers said the indictment could contain irrelevant and improper information that could influence a jury pool.
The petition also says that of the eight children named in the indictment, seven are alleged to have been victims of child abuse, and one was allegedly sexually abused.
The Supreme Court can reject the request, which Suthers said happens in most cases, or continue to take arguments and make a decision.
Thompson is scheduled for trial June 16. The body of 6-year-old Aarone has not been found. Among the counts Thompson faces are child abuse resulting in death, abuse of a corpse and assault with a deadly weapon.
Carlos Illescas: 303-954-1175 or cillescas@denverpost.com
