Poindexter Trial on Hold; Reagan Deposition Still On

A federal judge today delayed the start of John M. Poindexter’s Iran-Contra trial by two weeks but said he will proceed with plans to take former President Ronald Reagan’s videotaped deposition Friday in Los Angeles.

U.S. District Judge Harold H. Greene said that “hopefully” Reagan’s testimony can be taken in a courtroom of the federal courthouse in Los Angeles.

The judge rejected a suggestion by the ex-President’s lawyers that the deposition be taken in a Los Angeles building where Reagan has offices.

One of Poindexter’s lawyers, Richard W. Beckler, had urged Greene to put off taking Reagan’s testimony until the middle of the trial, after Iran-Contra prosecutors have presented their case.

“I am not going to buy that; we are going to proceed,” said Greene.

Seven news organizations applied to the court for permission to attend the videotaped deposition. They are Cable News Network, Capital Cities-ABC Inc., CBS Inc., National Broadcasting Co., The New York Times Co., Times Mirror Co. and The Washington Post.

The judge said he will rule before Friday on their request, but he said he is “doubtful that the press could be there” in view of concerns over the possibility of disclosing classified information during the deposition. Such material will be edited out of the videotape before it is shown in court at Poindexter’s trial.

Greene said he is delaying the start of the trial until March 5 to resolve a number of other issues, including disagreement concerning about 150 classified documents that Poindexter, a former national security adviser to Reagan, wants to use at his trial.

Regarding the dispute over classified material, the judge will have to rule on whether the documents are necessary for Poindexter to get a fair trial.