Judge steps down from Megaupload case

• Tweet

AUCKLAND, New Zealand, July 18 (UPI) -- A New Zealand judge stepped down from the extradition case against Kim Dotcom and his Megaupload colleagues after a negative comment about the United States.

The New Zealand Herald said Judge David Harvey, an Internet law expert, was at a conference discussing copyright and trade talks with the United States when he referred to a Twitter post that played on a reference to cartoonist Walt Kelly: "We have met the enemy and he is [the] U.S."

The district court's chief judge said Harvey realizes his remarks could reflect on his impartiality in hearings to determine whether Dotcom and his Megaupload colleagues should be extradited by the United States to face charges of criminal copyright violation, the newspaper reported Wednesday.

The case will now be heard by Judge Nevin Dawson.