Conrad Black's long-time secretary testified today that the former media kingpin did not even look inside a number of boxes she had packed and he later removed from their Canadian office in what prosecutors have depicted as a move by Mr Black to hide important evidence.
Joan Maida, Mr Black's secretary since 1994, was among the first witnesses called by defense lawyers as they started their case in Black's criminal fraud trial following 11 weeks of prosecution-led testimony.
She described an incident in Toronto on May 20th, 2005, in which Mr Black and his chauffeur loaded 13 boxes into Black's car. It was the day after the US Securities and Exchange Commission had told Mr Black's lawyers he would have to surrender some of his records, prosecutors contend.
The removal also violated a standing order from a Canadian court that no documents were to be taken from the offices without court permission, prosecutor have contended. They have also said Mr Black could have removed and destroyed or hidden evidence from the boxes during the five days he had them.
The incident was caught on a security camera and jurors were shown a tape of it earlier this week. Under questioning from Edward Genson, Mr Black's lawyer, Ms Maida described how she was packing up their offices at Hollinger Inc., a holding company through which Black controlled media giant Hollinger International Inc., because Mr Black had to vacate the premises by the end of the month. Ms Maida said she was packing up boxes that day, putting in "personal pictures, kids' stuff," as well as files involving Black's personal properties in Manhattan, Florida and London.
"Did you have any conversations with Mr. Black about which documents to put in the boxes?" Genson asked. "No," she replied, adding that lawyers for Black had already spent "weeks" photocopying everything in the office. Mr Black came to the office that Friday afternoon, Ms Maida said, and she explained the boxes and showed them to him. "Did Conrad Black have permission to take those boxes?" Mr Genson asked. "I don't know," she said.
"Did Conrad look in the boxes?" Mr Genson asked. "No," Ms Maida replied. "Did you tell Conrad what was in the boxes," he asked. "No," she replied. "Was there any discussion of any SEC subpoena?" Mr Genson asked. "No," she responded. The packing incident occurred about six months before Black and his three co-defendants were indicted.