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FBI wants to turn over 40 pages from 22 million Megaupload emails in extradition hearing

FBI wants to turn over 40 pages from 22 million Megaupload emails in extradition hearing

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The US FBI has disclosed a 40-page summary out of 22 million emails on the seized Megupload servers in preparation for an extradition hearing for Kim Dotcom.

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Kim Dotcom
Kim Dotcom

As the FBI and Kim Dotcom prepare for the upcoming trial over cyberlocker Megaupload, the fight continues over what evidence Dotcom will be allowed to see and present in his defense. Though a New Zealand judge ordered the FBI to copy 150TB of potential evidence from the Megaupload servers it seized, it's still not clear how much — if any — Dotcom will be given access to. Now, the FBI has apparently "cherry-picked" a mere 40 pages out of 22 million emails to hand over before an extradition hearing, sparking a disagreement that could delay it.

The head of Dotcom's legal team says the summary document is insufficient, requiring the team to argue a case with "their hands tied behind their backs." New Zealand's Crown lawyer, however, says it's not necessary to have all the information for a hearing that only determines whether Dotcom can be tried in the US. If the case does proceed to an American court, the issue will be argued again.

The Department of Justice has suffered criticism for its handling of the case against Dotcom, including its illegal search warrants and its refusal to return non-infringing files to Megaupload users. Dotcom, however, is still charged with running what the DOJ calls an "international organized criminal enterprise." At this rate, though, we're still a long way from anything approaching a real trial.