D.C. madam's phone records still sealed

WASHINGTON, May 22 (UPI) -- The lawyer for the accused "D.C. madam" said a ban on making her phone records public is unfair.

Preston Burton said in court papers that Deborah Jeane Palfrey should be allowed to use the phone records of her former business, Pamela Martin and Associates, to defend herself. Prosecutors allege that the business was a high-end prostitution ring.

U.S. District Judge Gladys Kessler issued a temporary restraining order prohibiting the release of the phone records after Palfrey gave a list of numbers to ABC News, saying she needed help identifying defense witnesses. Deputy Secretary of State Randall L. Tobias quit after ABC News called him. He said he used the service for a massage.

Palfrey has said women who worked for her former escort business were supposed to provide only fantasies and massages, the Post reported. Her new lawyer, Burton, said Monday that her clients' lawyers have been contacting him and will be "helpful" to her defense.

Kessler said the two sides need to agree on how to protect the privacy rights of the people whose phone numbers are in Palfrey's business files, the Post reported.