SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — A judge on Wednesday denied the bulk of a request by news organizations to unseal court documents connected to the dog-mauling death of a San Francisco woman, but details from a prison search warrant were released.

The Associated Press, San Francisco Chronicle and KGO-TV requested that a Superior Court judge unseal search warrants and prosecutors' theories supporting the searches of Robert Noel and Marjorie Knoller's apartment.

The couple housed two Presa Canario-mastiffs that attacked and killed 33-year-old lacrosse coach Diane Whipple last month in the hallway of their San Francisco apartment building.

Authorities have said they believe the pair conspired with prison inmates to breed dogs trained to fight and kill. Noel and Knoller have not been charged, and authorities are working to discover whether the couple knew the dogs they kept in their apartment were dangerous, a key element in a dog-mauling prosecution.

Even so, Judge Lenard Louie released a warrant in the Jan. 29 search of two Pelican Bay State Prison inmates — Paul "Cornfed" Schneider and Dal Bretches — who authorities believe conspired with Noel and Knoller in running a dogfighting ring. The judge, who sealed the bulk of the case after prosecutors said it would hinder their investigation, agreed to release the prisoners' search warrant after it was leaked Monday to KPIX-TV in San Francisco.

The warrant also says prosecutors were investigating whether the couple was having sex with dogs. Prosecutors declined comment on whether bestiality is relevant to the Whipple investigation. However, sex acts with animals are misdemeanors in California.

The search warrant seeks "any materials or correspondence describing sexual acts by Noel or Knoller that involve dogs."

Noel and Knoller did not return messages seeking comment.

It is not known whether authorities obtained information regarding bestiality or other evidence that might support a prosecution in connection to Whipple's death. That information is sealed even to prosecutors, and the judge will hold a hearing Thursday on releasing it to District Attorney Terence Hallinan's office.

Even if the seized materials are released to prosecutors, a gag order prohibits them from publicly discussing evidence discovered in any search related to the case. The news organizations were unsuccessful Wednesday in their attempts to get the judge to lift that order.

The reason prosecutors have not been given evidence seized from the Crescent City prison is based on attorney-client privilege. Noel is Schneider's attorney. The privilege, however, is nullified when an attorney and client are accused of engaging in a crime together.

The couple have said they will file a defamation lawsuit against the state Department of Corrections. They said the department was incorrect when it told reporters the two inmates were running a dogfighting ring.