John Edwards’ mistress wants return of ‘private’ tape

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HILLSBOROUGH, N.C. — The mistress of former presidential candidate John Edwards wants a “very private and personal” videotape back from a former aide who wrote a book about the politician, according to court documents obtained today by the Associated Press.

Rielle Hunter was granted a temporary restraining order against former Edwards aide Andrew Young in a North Carolina court. It seeks the return of photos and videos, including one she says she made in 2006 while working as a campaign videographer for Edwards.

“In or about September 2006, using my video camera, I authored a personal video recording that depicted matters of a very private and personal nature,” Hunter wrote in an affidavit filed Thursday. “In 2006, I was also having an intimate relationship with Edwards.”

“The decision was made that the video be destroyed” in December 2006, Hunter wrote. She said she pulled out the tape from the cassette and stored it in a box with personal belongings.

In his book that came out this week, Young describes viewing a sex tape that showed Edwards and a woman he assumed was Hunter. Young says some videotapes were inside a “box of trash” that Hunter left behind at a home he rented for her. He says the tape had been pulled out but that he was able to fix it.

Deputies in Orange County said in court documents filed today that they went to Young’s home to try and recover the tapes and personal photographs of Hunter. After some discussion, Young’s attorney told authorities that he could not immediately turn over the tape.

Along with winning the restraining order, Hunter has filed a lawsuit against Young and his wife, seeking a jury trial and damages for invasion of privacy. Young’s attorney did not immediately return a call seeking comment.

Edwards only recently admitted paternity of Hunter’s daughter, who is now nearly 2. He and his wife, Elizabeth, are now separated.

-- Associated Press