HP Boss Walks Away Free From Spy Scandal

A California criminal case against former Hewlett-Packard chairwoman Patricia Dunn and three others - a corporate spying scandal that led to congressional hearings and an enhanced state privacy law - has ended with a whimper.

Dunn was cleared of all charges by Santa Clara County Superior Court Judge Ray Cunningham. He said Dunn and the other defendants could have cited as a defense that they were acting on the advice of lawyers in zealously pursuing boardroom leaks, including accessing phone records of reporters.