Judge rapped on anti-US joke

Published on 19/07/2012 00:00

A NEW Zealand judge has stepped down from overseeing the extradition case of Megaupload founder Kim Dotcom after jokingly referring to the United States as “the enemy”.

The comment by Auckland District Court Judge David Harvey raised questions about his impartiality. He was discussing internet copyright at a conference last week when he said: “We have met the enemy, and he is US.” His comments – referencing the late US cartoonist Walt Kelly – were posted on the internet.

The US is attempting to extradite Dotcom on racketeering and money laundering charges that allege his file-sharing site was facilitating massive internet piracy.