February 5, 2010 7:47 PM

Edwards Aide: I Gave FBI Copy of Sex Tape

(AP)  A former aide to John Edwards says in court documents that a copy of a sex tape featuring his former boss has been sent to the FBI.

Andrew Young said Friday he has the original copy of the tape showing Edwards in a sexual encounter in a safe deposit box in Atlanta. He said a copy of the tape was sent to his Washington attorney, who turned it over to federal investigators.

Young has said the tape shows Edwards and a woman he believes to be the two-time presidential candidate's mistress, Rielle Hunter. Federal investigators have been looking into the money that exchanged hands during Edwards' second White House campaign. He has denied breaking campaign finance laws.

Also Friday,Judge Abraham Penn Jones declared Friday that Young was in contempt of court for not turning over a "personal" videotape being sought by Edwards' former mistress.

Judge Penn Jones reprimanded Young in a court hearing Friday but declined to put him in custody. The contempt ruling will be lifted if Young - author of a new tell-all book about the Edwards scandal - turns over a videotape "of a personal nature" and other items by Wednesday, Jones said.

"These items are to be produced and turned over to the court," Jones said. "The court will put them under lock and key - and under seal - until the lawsuit is resolved."

Edwards' former mistress, Rielle Hunter, who had worked on his 2007-08 presidential campaign, had won a temporary restraining order against Young that sought the return of what she called a private video she made in 2006. But when deputies went to retrieve the item, Young's attorney declined to release it. Young has said he has a copy of a video showing Edwards in a sexual encounter with a woman he believed to be Hunter.

Hunter has also filed a lawsuit accusing Young of invasion of privacy.

In his book about the affair between Edwards and Hunter, Young says he found the tape in a "box of trash" Hunter had left behind at a home he rented in North Carolina. He writes that the tape had been pulled out of its cassette casing, but that he was able to fix it.

Young's attorneys had disputed whether he even had the tape that Hunter was referring to. They contended that the woman in the video was pregnant, but Hunter had written in an affidavit that the tape was made in September 2006, some 17 months before her child with Edwards was born.

"In or about December 2006, the decision was made that the Video should be destroyed," she wrote. She said she pulled out the tape from the cassette and stored it in a box with personal belongings.

Young says he helped Edwards cover up the affair, and claims he kept the tape along with phone messages from Edwards to back up his account of what he saw. Edwards now admits he fathered the baby girl born to Hunter in February 2008.

© 2010 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Add a Comment See all 11 Comments
by r1060b February 8, 2010 3:48 PM EST
"Andrew Young said Friday he has the original copy of the tape showing Edwards in a sexual encounter in a safe deposit box in Atlanta."

The safe deposit boxes in Atlanta must be a lot bigger than the ones we have around here. :)
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by janeyre-2009 February 6, 2010 11:26 AM EST
Why is this guy allowed to stay free? What right does he have to it stupid tape? Just another Greedy, crappy, politican. Who now, want people to buy his sordid book. What a horrible money grabbing person. Just like Edwards, Hunter. They all deserve each other. When the money runs out, what then?
Reply to this comment
by erb0087 February 6, 2010 10:30 AM EST
by brianbwb2011 February 6, 2010 5:41 AM EST
"Y'all just don't understand, I ain't afraid of you mutha..."

==========================================

John Murtha had nothing to do with this.

Leave the poor guy alone. Last I heard he was on his deathbed.
Reply to this comment
by Hosheen February 6, 2010 9:49 AM EST
Why does the FBI want this tape? Is it just prurient interest or Big Brother again. It seems the USA is far from the "Land of the free".

If you live there, how long will it be before travel out of the country is restricted (for "your own good", of course). For that matter, how about travel inside the country? "Ve must see your papers" Sieg heil!
Reply to this comment
by brianbwb2011 February 6, 2010 5:39 AM EST
In a safe-deposit vault? How'd they manage to get the tape? Was it the bank surveillance tape, or did they bring their own? Kinky!
Reply to this comment
by jdeven February 6, 2010 10:05 AM EST
What?
by gboyd41 February 6, 2010 1:27 AM EST
Karma, John, that means you should try to live a good, decent life- the opposite of what you have done! Do you really think that you have what it takes to be POTUS? Also, shame on you for your deception, regarding the mentally challenged jurors, in order to win the millions against Doctors who were just trying to do their jobs. KARMA! YOU ARE POND SCUM!
Reply to this comment
by gboyd41 February 6, 2010 1:07 AM EST
Karma, I bet those Doctors you took to trial are laughing their a**** OFF!
Reply to this comment
by cyndiv1 February 5, 2010 3:22 PM EST
While I definitely don't agree with what John Edwards has done, I have to ask the question "Why are there sex tapes in the first place?"
Was this a future set up or entrapment anyway? No one in this situation is right with the exception of Elizabeth.

THIS ALL SMELLS WORSE THAN ANY FISH COULD EVER SMELL!!
Reply to this comment
by run2jazz2 February 5, 2010 3:18 PM EST
Who is that involved in the way they are having sex? It is nothing but 50 pumps, count it if you don't have anything to do!
Reply to this comment
by brianbwb2011 February 6, 2010 5:41 AM EST
"Y'all just don't understand, I ain't afraid of you mutha..."
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