A woman who had an extramarital affair with Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens must turn over her cellphone for a forensic investigation , the Missouri Supreme Court ruled Friday.
Judge Rex Burlison had granted the request made by Greitens' defense team to examine the contents of the woman's phone. Her attorney called the order unduly burdensome” and “a gross violation of her privacy that victimizes her again.”
Burlison's order was part of the criminal case against Greitens. He is charged with felony invasion of privacy for allegedly taking a photo of the woman without her consent, and then transmitting it in a way that it could be viewed by a computer. He is also accused of threatening her with blackmail if she ever went public about the affair.
Greitens has admitted to the affair, but denied criminal wrongdoing. He also strenuously denies the blackmail allegation, and claims made by the woman that he was physically and sexually abusive during the relationship.
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Greitens faces a May 14 trial in St. Louis on the invasion of privacy charge. In a separate case, Greitens is facing a second felony charge of tampering with computer data for allegedly using a donor list from a veterans’ charity he founded to raise money for his political campaign.
Greitens has denied criminal wrongdoing in both cases and has resisted calls from Missouri lawmakers to resign. The Missouri House speaker said Thursday that most Republicans in his chamber have signed a petition calling for a special session during which lawmakers could consider impeaching Greitens.
