Attorneys for John Edwards’ mistress accuse candidate’s ex-aide of ‘theft’ in NC court hearing

Lawyer for Edwards’ mistress accuse aide of theft

HILLSBOROUGH, N.C. — Attorneys for John Edwards’ mistress on Tuesday accused a former aide to the Democratic presidential candidate of theft after he turned over a video camera that belonged to the woman.

Attorneys for Rielle Hunter said the video camera was taken from a home where she had been living. The video camera was one of several items that ex-aide Andrew Young gave to the judge.

Young’s attorney said he did not know whether the video camera was Hunter’s or whether it belonged to Edwards’ presidential campaign. Hunter has sued Young for invasion of privacy and sought the return of the videotape purportedly showing Edwards in a sexual encounter with his pregnant mistress. That video has been turned over to the court and placed under seal.

Lawyers for Hunter have pressed Young about conflicting statements he’s made about the sex tape and other items.

“That’s disturbing to me,” said Superior Court Judge Abraham Penn Jones. “I’m not quite sure what I should do about it.”

Jones has yet to release Young and his wife from a contempt order he issued last month, and he asked the Youngs to prepare a full sworn statement accounting for how they handled the tape, photographs and other materials. An attorney for the Youngs, Robert Elliot, said they have turned their house over looking for materials to surrender to the court as quickly as possible.

“They did the best they could under those circumstances,” Elliot said.

Hunter’s attorneys also balked after Elliot asked to see the sex tape to be able to defend Young against Hunter’s lawsuit. Jones did not immediately rule on their request.

“I know of no reason that these new lawyers would have to know these specific details and have to watch this private and personal video to defend this case” said an attorney for Hunter, Allison Van Laningham.