By 3 News online staff
Kim Dotcom says claiming compensation from the New Zealand Government is a possibility but not a priority and he just wants life to return to normal.
Dotcom was in the High Court today as prosecutors appealed a decision that the US government has to grant Dotcom and his co-accused access to the evidence it holds against them.
The Megaupload founder spoke to 3 News outside the court about how all this time in court is affecting his life.
“I want to return back to a normal life. That’s more important than anything to me.”
If he files for compensation he is not sure how much he would ask for.
“It’s really hard to put a number on it and I think the value of money is not really what is the most important thing here. The value of what is happening to this family and the pain that comes with all of this is certainly much bigger.”
Dotcom is still hopeful that he will get given access to the information he needs to prepare for the looming extradition case.
“Right now we are not asking for any money, right now what we are looking for is to get access to information, to get access to evidence that is going to help us to fight this extradition, and the US government and Crown law are doing everything to keep us from this information.”
Judge David Harvey ruled in Auckland District Court that the US government must disclose its information against Dotcom, But lawyer John Pike, acting for the US government, told Justice Helen Winkelmann that it didn't have to disclose all this information as it needed only to prove its case was strong enough that a jury could reasonably convict Dotcom and his co-accused.
Mr Pike said the most the defendant could do was challenge whether the evidence the government produced was manifestly unreliable.
But Dotcom is not happy with this.
“I think that is wrong. At that’s what we are dealing with right now before we are thinking about any kind of civil action against the [New Zealand] Government.”
The appeal hearing is expected to take two days.
Meanwhile, the process of Dotcom gaining relief for what Justice Winkelmann ruled was an illegal search and seizure of material in January raids of his mansion north of Auckland could mean the extradition hearing is delayed from its scheduled August 6 date.
Dotcom is seeking to have his assets returned, and to have an independent lawyer decide what is reliable.
Mr Pike wants to file affidavits from police officers about the search, and indicated he may appeal Justice Winkelmann's decision.
If this happens, lawyers for Dotcom will probably get a chance to cross-examine the police officers.
Dotcom and three other men were arrested at Dotcom's mansion in Coatesville, Auckland, in a police raid on January 20.
They face charges in the US of racketeering, copyright infringement and money laundering and are awaiting proceedings to extradite them to the US.
Dotcom has denied any wrongdoing.
3 News / NZN