News Corp. Executive's Testimony Raises Questions on Phone Hacking Scale

Former News of the World legal manager Tom Crone testified Tuesday that News Corp. executive James Murdoch would only have given him authority to settle a lawsuit against the newspaper if he had understood that there had been more illegal phone hacking. Crone's statement contradicts Murdoch's repeated assertions that there was no evidence of widespread phone hacking at News of the World. The scandal has led to the resignation of two top police officers, put Prime Minister David Cameron under pressure, and is being investigated by the Metropolitan Police.

Key Takeaways:

• Tom Crone, former legal manager of News of the World, testified that James Murdoch would only have given him authority to settle a lawsuit if he knew of more widespread phone hacking.
• This testimony contradicts Murdoch's repeated assertions that there was no evidence of widespread phone hacking at News of the World.
• Colin Myler, former editor of News of the World, testified that he had sat down with each person accused of phone hacking and they denied it, but he did not provide evidence to support his accusation.
• Les Hinton, a top employee of Rupert Murdoch, was accused of approving a payment to Clive Goodman, the paper's royal correspondent who was jailed and fired for phone hacking.
• A letter written by Goodman alleges that "other members of staff were carrying out the same illegal procedures" and that phone hacking was "widely discussed" at News of the World.
• Former News of the World editor Andy Coulson has denied knowledge of illegal practices while he was at the helm of the paper.
• Coulson has been arrested and released on bail this summer, and resigned as Cameron's spokesman at the start of this year.

Statistics:

• More than a dozen people have been arrested in connection with the phone hacking scandal.
• The Metropolitan Police are investigating phone hacking and police bribery.
• A new investigation was opened by police in January.
• The scandal has led to the resignation of two top police officers.
• 13 people have been arrested, all of whom are currently free on bail.
• The scandal has also resonated across the Atlantic, with accusations that the families of September 11, 2001 victims may have been targeted by phone hackers.

Sources:

• CNN Wire Staff
• LONDON (CNN) --
• News Corp. executive James Murdoch
• Tom Crone, former legal manager of News of the World
• Colin Myler, former editor of News of the World
• Les Hinton, top employee of Rupert Murdoch
• Clive Goodman, royal correspondent of News of the World
• Andy Coulson, former editor of News of the World
• Harbottle & Lewis law firm
• News International
• Metropolitan Police
• Parliament's Culture, Media and Sport Committee