A California judge has dismissed charges against ex HP Chairman Patricia Dunn in the HP pretexting scandal.
The three other remaining defendants–former HP attorney Kevin Hunsaker; private detective Ronald DeLia; and Matthew DePante of data-brokering company Action Research Group–pleaded no contest to a count of fraudulent wire communications at Santa Clara County Superior Court in San Jose, Calif., the state attorney general's office said in a statement. The trio will be required to complete 96 hours of community service by September 12; the court said it will dismiss the case against them if that condition is satisfied.
Dunn, for her part, did not enter a plea. (…)
The charges were a direct response to the brouhaha last year in which HP executives admitted that outside investigators had used a technique called "pretexting," or posing as someone else to obtain phone records of reporters and board members suspected of involvement in press leaks. Then-board Chairman Dunn, who spearheaded the investigation, said she had been unaware of the technique's use and called it "embarrassing."
Link to CNet's account, here's the New York Times piece.
Earlier today, the office of California's attorney general had released a statement saying Dunn would plead guilty to a misdemeanor count of fraudulent wire communications, but the office later issued a retraction. (Thanks, M.E.!)
