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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Danton wants evidence excluded

Belleville News-Democrat

EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. — St. Louis Blues player Mike Danton asked a federal judge to throw out any tapes of Danton`s phone calls, including recorded conversations of the hockey player trying to arrange his agent`s murder.

Under federal law, agents must have consent from one party to the conversation to record or they must have a warrant, said Andrew Leipold, a law professor at the University of Illinois.

In the Danton case, agents recorded phone conversations between Danton and intended hitman and part-time police dispatcher Justin Levi Jones to arrange the murder of Danton`s agent, David Frost.

While Danton was in a California jail, conversations were recorded between Frost and Danton. Agents also recorded voice-mail messages left on Danton`s teen-age accomplice Katie Wolfmeyer`s cell phone after her arrest April 14 outside Danton`s Brentwood, Mo., apartment, where Frost was staying.

“It`s a brave new world with all the technologies to decide what constituted consent for obtaining e-mails and voice-mails,” Leipold said.

Danton`s lawyer, Robert Haar, also asked a judge to exclude evidence taken from Danton`s apartment after his arrest because federal agents did not have a warrant.