1950s grand jury spy transcripts sought

Transcripts from grand jury proceedings conducted in the 1950s on a spy case were sought today by the National Security Archive, a government oversight group based at George Washington University. Arguing that the "unique historical value" of the records outweighs any need for secrecy, the archive asked a federal court in Manhattan to order their release.

The grand jury transcripts are related to the case of Ethel and Julius Rosenberg who were convicted of being Soviet spies and excecuted in 1953. The couple’s two sons are also named as petitioners for the records.