Oregonian Publishing Co. v. United States District Court for the District of Oregon

The Oregonian Publishing Company (“The Oregonian”) petitions this court for a writ of mandamus to obtain access to various documents relating to a plea agreement filed under seal in the district court. Frank Riley Wolsky is a real party in interest in opposition to the writ. The United States is a real party in interest in favor of the writ. We grant the petition and issue the writ.

FACTS AND PROCEEDINGS

On March 29, 1989, Frank Riley Wolsky was indicted under 18 U.S.C. § 924 (c) and 21 U.S.C. § 841 (a)(1) for various federal drug and firearm offenses. His case attracted considerable media attention due to his age, his status as a high school student and the style in which he was alleged to be living at the time of his arrest. At the time he allegedly committed the crimes, Wolsky was an eighteen-year-old high school student. At the time of his arrest on January 18, 1989, he lived on his own in a fashionable condominium and owned three cars, several guns and a large amount of cash.

Pursuant to plea negotiations, Wolsky sought to enter a plea of guilty to two counts in the indictment: possession with the intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine and carrying a firearm…