Meanwhile the US financial regulator the Securities and Exchange
Commission has said that it will proceed with a formal
investigation into the controversial HP inquiry.
Dunn was chairwoman of HP when it ordered an inquiry into leaks
from its board. That inquiry, which was conducted by contractors,
involved the unauthorised obtaining of board members' and
journalists' emails as well as the physical surveillance of at
least one journalist and attempts at the tracing of a journalist's
emails.
The highly controversial activity, which prompted the immediate
resignation of Silicon Valley veteran Tom Perkins from HP's board,
is the subject of an escalating number of investigations. As well
as the court action and SEC investigation, it has been subject of
hearings by the US House Energy and Commerce Committee and a probe
by the attorney general of the Northern District of California.
Dunn pleaded not guilty at the Santa Clara County Superior Court
in San Jose this week. The Californian attorney general has taken
the case, and Dunn has waived her right to a preliminary hearing
with 10 days.
The charges include the commission of and conspiracy to commit a
number of crimes, including using false or fraudulent pretences to
obtain confidential information from a public utility, wrongful use
of computer data and identity theft.
A series of contractors has also been charged in the case. They
include a private detective, an information broker and an
individual who is accused of obtaining private phone records.
