Laramie County Circuit Court Judge Denise Nau has granted a child murder suspect's motion to deny the press access to his preliminary hearing.

During a motion hearing this (Thursday) afternoon, John Barrett's attorney, Diane Lozano, successfully argued that her client's "right to a fair trial would be violated" if the case were left open to news coverage.

Barrett, who was arrested on May 26 after Cheyenne police served a search warrant at his house, has been charged with two counts of first-degree murder, two counts of child abuse and first-degree sexual abuse of minor in the death of his girlfriend's two-year-old son, Christopher Clark.

Police were notified of the case on May 22 after Clark was brought to Cheyenne Regional Medical Center with two black eyes and extensive bruising on his head, abdomen, buttocks, legs and arms. Clark was transferred to Children's Hospital Colorado where he died the next day.

Police say the boy's mother, Cynthia Clark, left Clark in Barrett's care at the time the child's injuries occurred.

 

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