The U.S. Supreme Court has refused to review a case in the Western District of Pennsylvania that involves the sale of violent, graphic pornography from California.

A posting last week in U.S.A. v. Extreme Associates Inc. shows that the Supreme Court, on May 15, denied the defendants' request for a writ of certiorari.

Attorneys for Robert Zicari and his wife, Janet Romano, who own Extreme Associates, asked the high court to review a December decision by the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals reinstating the criminal charges against them.

They were indicted in August 2003 and charged with 10 counts of mailing obscene materials, transporting obscene materials and criminal conspiracy. The pornography that they produce depicts violent scenes, including women being raped and killed.

U.S. District Judge Gary L. Lancaster dismissed the indictment against the couple in January 2005, saying that federal obscenity laws violate the U.S. Constitution.

But in December, the appeals court disagreed with Judge Lancaster, claiming that he erred and that his decision ignored existing precedent.

The case will now continue to trial before Judge Lancaster.