Oklahoma corrections officials have reduced the number of media witnesses allowed at executions and imposed greater restrictions on reporters’ access, but they argued in federal court filings this week that they are not seeking “to exclude media from executions.”

Attorneys for the state of Oklahoma filed another motion this week to dismiss a federal lawsuit by the American Civil Liberties Union that seeks to block the state from further restricting reporters’ First Amendment right to witness executions.

The state’s motion argues that “the First Amendment does not grant the public a right to view executions” and that “the fact that individuals are allowed to attend executions does not make it open to the public.”

Read the full story at TulsaWorld.com.