Decision on Pentagon Fraud Warrants Delayed

A federal judge in Los Angeles on Friday delayed a decision on whether to unseal affidavits and search warrants in the Pentagon fraud investigation, declaring that he had not had an opportunity to read all of the government’s documents.

After listening to more than two hours of arguments from attorneys representing media, government and private individuals, U.S. District Judge David Kenyon said he would take the matter under submission. He did not set a date for issuing a decision.

“I’m not at all sure what decision will be rendered,” Kenyon said.

No Precise Date for Release

In response to a question from Kenyon on when the government would make the documents public if the court allowed them to remain sealed for now, U.S. Atty. Robert C. Bonner said he hoped that “it would be reasonably soon” but he did not give a precise date.

Lawyers representing the news media, including The Times, have argued that the public has a right to see search warrants and affidavits filed by the government in connection with FBI searches last month at the offices of three Southern California defense contractors and the home of a defense consultant. Those papers were sealed last month at the request of the government.

Government attorneys have held that unsealing the documents would jeopardize the Defense Department probe and possibly lead to destruction of important papers. Attorneys representing clients who were not identified argued that their clients’ reputations would be damaged if the documents were unsealed and names divulged.