10 Missing Mass. Trial Tapes Stymie Appeals

Massachusetts officials say a court reporter has failed to turn over recordings or transcripts of 10 criminal and civil trials, making appeals impossible.

The court reporter, Jeanne Lentini, faces a March 26 contempt hearing, but she says she has no plans to show up, the Boston Globe reports. She told the newspaper she returned all of the tapes sought by the courts last summer; court officials counter that they received only seven recordings from 17 trials, and 10 others are missing.

In one criminal case, a state trooper convicted of stealing drug evidence has asked to be released on bail because his lawyer requested a transcript 2½ years ago and is still waiting.