Law: The Case of the Purloined Tapes

Concerning the free press, fair trial and a porn king

The videotape was devastating. There is John Z. De Lorean, the sleek, charming onetime Wunderkind of General Motors, meeting with several purported cocaine traffickers in a tacky Los Angeles hotel room. De Lorean appears thrilled as one of the "dealers" drags a suitcase containing 55 Ibs. of cocaine into the room and opens it on a table. "It's better than gold," exclaims De Lorean after fingering the packets of snow-white powder. "Gold weighs more than that, for God's sake." Later he raises a champagne glass in a toast: "This is to a...

Want the full story?

Subscribe Now

Subscribe
Subscribe

Learn more about the benefits of being a TIME subscriber

If you are already a subscriber sign up — registration is free!