John Edwards Sex Tape Testimony Will Be Allowed, Court Rules
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Sketch by Christine Cornell(GREENSBORO, N.C.) — The sex tape made by John Edwards and his mistress Rielle Hunter may yet play a significant role in Edwards’ trial as the judge cleared the way Monday for testimony surrounding the steamy video that was made as Edwards was preparing to run for president.
Prosecutors and Edwards’ lawyers have agreed the video itself won’t be shown to jurors.
But the two sides have agreed that testimony about the tape can be introduced.
Among the questions that Edwards’ lawyers may seek to be answered, they said in court Monday while the jury was out, was whether former Edwards aide Andrew Young stole the video from Hunter, whether he tried to sell it, and whether he threatened Edwards with it when the effort to hide Hunter was unraveling.
Earlier questions about the video were put on hold until Judge Catherine Eagles made a ruling about it.
The ruling came during a day of often angry and emotional testimony from Young’s wife, Cheri Young, who told the court she was disgusted by Edwards’ financial scheme to hide his girlfriend’s pregnancy, but agreed to help after Edwards personally assured her that it was legal.
“I heard Mr. John Edwards tell me on the phone that he checked with the campaign lawyers and this is legal. Get the money in,” she testified that Edwards said to her. “He was very short and very angry.”
It was the second time jurors heard a witness testify that Edwards had insisted that the financial scheme was legal. Andrew Young has also testified that he was assured by Edwards there was nothing illegal in what they doing to hide Hunter’s pregnancy.
Edwards is accused of using campaign donations to hide his mistress. If convicted, Edwards could be sentenced to up to 30 years in prison.
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