Various media outlets are pushing a California court to release never-before-seen video testimony that late Apple CEO Steve Jobs filmed six months his death — and Apple’s lawyers are fighting back.
Legal teams from the Associated Press, CNN and Bloomberg filed a motion to obtain the video deposition, in which Jobs defends Apple in a major antitrust lawsuit accusing the company of deleting music downloaded from rival services from customers’ iPods, The Vergereported Tuesday.
“We’re not asking for anything other than what the jury heard,” said Tom Burke, a partner at law firm David Wright Tremaine representing the media companies. “Steve Jobs is not your typical trial witness, and that’s what makes this a unique circumstance.”
Apple’s lawyers pushed back on the request, arguing that Jobs’ video was not admitted into evidence, which means the exhibits do not have to be shared with the press. One of Apple’s lawyers, Jonathan Sherman, a partner at Boies, Schiller, and Flexner, said the video provides no real value other than to satiate the media’s curiosity.
See Steve Jobs’ Legacy in 16 Photos
1976
Apple I was Apple's first computer, which became obsolete within a year. Today, they are auctioned off as collector's items.Justin Sullivan—Getty Images1977 Apple II was the follow up to the Apple I computer. Apple II proved highly successful and spawned several variations.Ralph Morse—The LIFE Images Collection/Getty Images1983 Lisa was Apple's office computer that was the first personal computer to use a graphical user interface. It was a commercial flop, largely because it retailed for a whopping $10,000. Ted Thai—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images1991 NeXT Station was a workstation computer manufactured by NeXT, a computer company Steve Jobs founded in 1985 after he was forced out of Apple. After Apple acquired NeXT in 1996, Jobs rejoined Apple. Kristy MacDonald—dapd/AP1995 Pixar's Toy Story was the film studio's first feature film in 1995. Pixar had spun out from a larger graphics corporation in 1986 with funding from Steve Jobs. Alan Dejecacion—Getty Images1998 The iMac was originally released in 1998, and it was the first Mac computer to have a USB drive but no floppy disk. Many media outlets heralded it as a game changer. Over two million were sold in two years. John G. Mabanglo—AFP/Getty Images1999 The iBook was a line of laptop computers designed for use in schools. The computer, called the "iMac to go," was a huge hit with several upgrades over the years. Ted Thai—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images1999 The Power Mac G3 was a personal computer in the Power Macintosh line. Its upgraded hardware meant it was faster than most other computers on the market. Alan Dejecacion—Getty Images2001 Apple opened its first Apple Stores in 2001, with the original two stores in Virginia and California. On the opening day, thousands of Apple fans stood in line and collectively spent over half a million dollars. Justin Sullivan—Getty Images 2003The iTunes Store is Apple's online digital media store that redefined the music purchase experience and became a runaway success within years. By 2008, it had become the largest music vendor in the U.S. Ian Waldie—Getty Images 2001The iPod followed the release of iTunes and other consumer-facing software. It offered data storage and a sleek design, and soon became the nation's go-to portable music player. Gabe Palacio—Getty Images2006 Macbook Pro was Apple's first computer to use Intel Core processors, replacing PowerBook computers. The Macbook Pro line is Apple's latest laptop collection. Justin Sullivan—Getty Images2005 The Mac Mini was Apple's first consumer-targeted computer to ship without a display, keyboard or mouse, intended to minimize the space taken by a desktop computer.Justin Sullivan—Getty Images2007 The first iPhone was released after years of speculation that Apple would produce a smartphone. It was known for its large touch screen and finger-touch method, as opposed to using a stylus. It was marketed under the slogan "This is only the beginning." Tony Avelar—AFP/Getty Images2008 The App Store is Apple's online marketplace for downloading and developing apps. It was released alongside its iPhone 3G, and both proved to be massive successes. The App Store logged over 10 million downloads on the first weekend.Justin Sullivan—Getty Images2010 The iPad is an Apple tablet computer that met mixed reviews, as users were not sure if it was intended to replace or supplement laptop use, though many praised its ability to connect to WiFi or 3G. That year, the iPad became the leader in the tablet computer market. Justin Sullivan—Getty Images
“The marginal value of seeing him again, in his black turtleneck — this time very sick — is small,” Sherman said. “What they they want is a dead man, and they want to show him to the rest of the world, because it’s a judicial record.”
U.S. District Court Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers, who will make the final decision regarding the video, has already expressed concerns that a public release is “is diametrically opposed from the rule that says I cannot allow the recording of these proceedings.”
Rogers said she will require additional time to make her decision. She will accept additional arguments from the media companies if filed by the end of the week.
