US authorities win appeal in Dotcom extradition case

Throughout the extradition war between Megaupload founder Kim Dotcom and the US authorities attempting to send him to their homeland for a full criminal trial, one of the battlegrounds has been whether Dotcom's legal team should be given access to all the evidence against their client, or simply be given a summary. While initially a judge awarded the defence the right to see all of it, an accepted appeal by the prosecution in the New Zealand High Court has seen that ruling overturned.

The argument from the judge was that because this was an extradition trial, not a criminal trial, it did not merit the same considerations with regards to evidence. Of course Dotcom's team disagrees and plans to take things one step higher, to the Supreme Court.

Part of the reason it's thought so important that Dotcom's team gains access to evidence against him, is that not only so they can prepare his defence correctly, but that it would allow them to see if any illegal measures were taken by the US and NZ governments in his arrest. It's been suggested that not only were illegal warrants used in the raid on Dotcom's home, but that illegal surveillance was also carried out for months beforehand.

Of course Dotcom haas already taken to Twitter to discuss the matter:

Am I disappointed about the ruling today? YES.
Do "good faith" & "US govt" go together? NO.
Will I sleep like an innocent baby tonight? YES.

— Kim Dotcom (@KimDotcom) March 1, 2013

Some offered their condolonsces, while others asked how they could support him:

The best way to support us is to use & promote #Mega. Tell all your friends.

— Kim Dotcom (@KimDotcom) March 1, 2013

Dotcom's final extradition hearing is expected to take place in August this year, over a year and a half since his original arrest.

KitGuru Says: I'm no Dotcom fanboy, but I don't think he should be held responsible for his user's actions. I also think his legal team should be allowed to look at the evidence for his extradition, since it could have such huge bearing if illegal activity did take place.

[Cheers TorrentFreak]

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