HARRY LYNCH - hlynch@newsobserve
Lawsuit defendant Andrew Young gets a warm hug from a family member in Chatham County Superior court Friday evening after Superior Court Judge Abraham Penn Jones purged Andrew Young and his wife Cheri Young of contempt of court charges and then released them after a stern lecture. The couple is the target of a lawsuit by Rielle Hunter to reclaim personal photos and records she left with the Youngs.
PITTSBORO -- Andrew Young and his wife Cheri won't be sent to jail, Superior Court Judge Abraham Penn Jones announced in court late today after several lengthy hearings about a sex tape featuring former presidential candidate John Edwards and his onetime mistress.
Young was threatened with jail last week following questions about whether he was truthful about the the number of copies of the tape he possessed and about how many people had viewed the tape.
Late today, the judge purged the couple of contempt of court and released them following hours of testimony and a stern lecture. Jones said he did not know whether Young, a former aide to Edwards, had told the truth about the tape.
At issue was an order the judge issued in January requiring Young and his wife to turn over all videos, photos and documents related to the mistress's relationship with Edwards pending the result of a lawsuit over who owns the materials.
Lawyers for Edwards' former mistress Rielle Hunter had presented evidence that Young had been repeatedly untruthful or failed to disclose key information in past courtroom testimony and sworn affidavits.
