Ex-HP Chairman Pleads Not Guilty in Board Spy Case
SAN JOSE, Calif. (Reuters)—Former Hewlett-Packard Co. Chairman Patricia Dunn Wednesday pleaded not guilty to felony charges for spying on reporters and directors in a scandal that sullied the reputation of one of Silicon Valley’s most venerable and respected companies.
Dunn’s appearance at the San Jose, California, courthouse was the latest development in the boardroom-leak scandal that tarnished the reputation of a company that had long championed privacy and aspired to a code of conduct toward employees and customers called the “HP Way.”
In HP’s probes, investigators impersonated company board members, employees and journalists to get their private telephone records.
After pleading not guilty, Dunn and her attorneys walked out of the courthouse and past reporters, declining to answer questions. About half a dozen television trucks and more than a dozen reporters had gathered outside.
Dunn, who resigned in September and appeared before U.S. Congress the same month to testify about the investigation, has said she regretted the way the probe was handled, but did not accept personal responsibility for any deceptive tactics used.
California Attorney General Bill Lockyer filed charges last month against Dunn and four other defendants because of tactics used in HP’s effort in 2005 and 2006 to find the source of leaks to the media.
Dunn’s attorney, Jim Brosnahan, has said that California’s accusations were false. [Read more]