Date: Thu, 28 Jan 1993 19:09:08 GMT

From: ssteele (Shari Steele)
Subject: File 6--the most wonderful thing happened at the trial

I really don't have much time to write, but I just witnessed one of
the most dramatic courtroom events.  The judge in the Steve Jackson
Games trial just spent 15 minutes straight reprimanding Agent Timothy
Foley of the United States Secret Service for the behavior of the
United States regarding the raid and subsequent investigation of Steve
Jackson Games.  He asked Foley,  in random order (some of this is
quotes, some is paraphrasing because I couldn't write fast enough):

How long would it have taken you to find out what type of business
Steve Jackson Games does?  One hour?  In any investigation prior to
March 1st (the day of the raid) was there any evidence that implicated
Steve Jackson or Steve Jackson Games, other than Blankenship's
presence?  You had a request from the owner to give the computers and
disks back.  You knew a lawyer was called.  Why couldn't a copy of the
information contained on the disks be given within a matter of days?
How long would it have taken to copy all disks?  24 hours?  Who
indicated that Steve Jackson was running some kind of illegal
activity?  Since the equipment was not accessed at the Secret Service
office in Chicago after March 27, 1990, why wasn't the equipment
released on March 28th?  Did you or anyone else do any investigation
after March 1st into the nature of Mr. Jackson and his business?  You
say that Coutorie told you it was a game company.  You had the owner
standing right in front of you on March 2nd.  Is it your testimony
that the first time that you realized that he was a publisher and had
business records on the machine was when this suit was filed?

The government was so shaken, they rested their case, never even
calling Barbara Golden or any of their other witnesses to the stand.
Closing arguments are set for this afternoon.  It truly was a day that
every lawyer dreams about.  The judge told the Secret Service that
they had been very wrong.  I'll try to give a full report later.
Shari

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