On October 13, 1952, the US Supreme Court announced that it had declined to grant certiorari in the appeal of Julius and Ethel Rosenberg, condemned to death for conspiracy to commit atomic espionage for the Soviet Union.



Justice William O. Douglas eventually granted a stay of execution on June 17, 1953, but that order was vacated by the full Court and the Rosenbergs were executed on June 19, 1953 [audio of a radio news report via the History Channel]. Read the FBI Rosenberg Case summary.