More Pretrial Stuff

The Strib:

The lawyers continue to fight the federal government over money and Petters' statements to investigators.

The sparring continues over legal fees and search warrants in the criminal fraud case of Wayzata businessman Tom Petters.

WCCO:

In a court filing Monday, attorneys Jon Hopeman and Paul Engh say the cost of Petters' defense will run into the millions of dollars. They say they can't advance costs and time of that magnitude if the government is interfering.

Petters is fighting charges that he masterminded a $3.5 billion Ponzi scheme.

Prosecutors said in their own court filings Monday that Petters' attorneys are attempting to delay the trial, which is scheduled to begin in June.

Prosecutors also disputed his lawyers' attorneys claims that his rights were violated when agents interviewed him in Las Vegas the day his Minnetonka offices and his Wayzata home were searched.

KSAX:

Friday Petters' attorneys submitted a list of topics they want included in the jury questionnaire. They want prospective jurors to answer questions on their background, on their attitudes about the case, media coverage of the case and the media in general. They also want to know if the prospective jurors use social networking sites or have ever visited blogs that refer to the case.

Petters Pretrial Motions & Bankruptcy Trustee Issues

The latest from Petters-Fraud.com:

Petters Attorney wins many Pretrial Motions and submits supplemental (PDF) Jury items (PDF)

The Magistrate Judge in the Petters trial does a most excellent job in good rulings that Petters did win (PDF)

For those of you unaware - the Magistrate Justice Honorable Arthur J Boylan makes many references to the Brady case and the Giglio case. These cases are most significant as they deal with Dept of Justice bad faith acts.

Specifically the Giglio doctrine is well known as once a Federal Agent lies - all other testimony is worth a grain of salt

Meanwhile - the Creditors Committee in Petters bankruptcy Objects to Polaroid sale (PDF)
Ritchie Capital also Objects to Polaroid sale BIG NEWS it appears the US Trustee's office is seeking a New Trustee (PDF)

Court Ruling; Polaroid Sale Must Proceed

Strib:

The auction-like sale of Polaroid Corp. can proceed as scheduled next week after U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Gregory Kishel ruled Thursday that it's too late for the company's creditors to question company executives about the pending transaction and other financial matters.

Kishel approved a motion by Polaroid's attorneys to quash recent subpoenas for the depositions of CEO Mary Jeffries and former corporate counsel David Baer, noting that lenders Acorn Capital Group and Ritchie Capital Management have had more than two months to initiate discovery proceedings.

"Time is money," Kishel said, rejecting the notion that the sale could be delayed. "There is an ongoing drain on resources that dictates that the sale be done quickly."

Polaroid and Larry Reynolds News Update

From Petters-Fraud.com:

Dear Ole Richard Hettler (who was defrauded by Petters long ago) puts in his Objection to Polaroid sale (PDF)


Larry Reynolds seeks to modify conditions to keep house for wife (PDF) .

USA Objects (PDF).

LR responds (PDF).

Petters Attorneys Get Requested $$$ And Polaroid Bankruptcy News

Strib:

The attorneys defending Wayzata businessman Tom Petters won a personal victory Wednesday. They convinced a federal judge that they should be paid for their work -- at least, for most of it.

Strib:

The pending sale of Polaroid Corp., one of the remaining assets with value in the organization of Wayzata businessman Tom Petters, might hit a speed bump today.

Attorneys for two of Polaroid's lenders claim the sale, set for next week, will benefit unspecified insiders, and they want to question the company's top executive and its former general counsel about their knowledge of the sale.

From Petters-Fraud.com:

This webmaster finds it totally absurd that the Receiver would seek to void Ritchie and Acorn's interest in Polaroid whilst also seeking to Quash their depositions

Lindquist & Baer seek to Quash the Subpoenas (PDF & PDF)


Target Stores Objects (PDF)

New Docs 3/24/09

From the Petters-Fraud site.

Ritchie answers the Complaint (PDF)

Ritchie stipulates issues on Trustee DK (PDF)

Ritchie seeks void "ab initio" (PDF & PDF)

"Ex-husband in Petters case wants seized funds"

Strib:

The ex-husband of the key informant who first told authorities that Wayzata businessman Tom Petters had been running a massive fraud scheme since the mid-1990s thinks he's being shortchanged in the government's rush to gather assets from those implicated in the investigation.

Welcome to Petters Info

Stay tuned for updates and news on the investigation and trial of Tom Petters.