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SHORT TAKES : Rehnquist Won’t Bar Segment

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From Times Wire Services

Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist refused today to block rebroadcast of part of a cable television documentary about the child-custody battle over Hilary Foretich. Rehnquist rejected a request to keep a four-minute segment of the telecast off the air.

The request was made by Nathan Lewin, a lawyer appointed to protect the interests of Hilary, 7.

Lewin said that each time the segment is aired it violates Hilary’s privacy rights by letting more viewers see footage “likely to be highly distasteful and embarrassing during (Hilary’s) entire life.”

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The documentary, first shown in this country April 6, is scheduled for rebroadcast Saturday and again April 19 by Lifetime cable network. It chronicles Hilary’s odyssey with her maternal grandparents from Northern Virginia to England to New Zealand to avoid unsupervised visits with the girl’s father, Dr. Eric Foretich.

A four-minute portion of the British Broadcasting Corp. documentary, entitled “Hilary in Hiding,” shows the girl in a therapy session in which she demonstrates with dolls alleged sex abuse by her father. Foretich has denied abusing his daughter.

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