A federal judge declined to quash a search warrant in the seizure of former legislative staffer Cade Cothren’s phones after federal agents seized them last week in a cyberstalking case, according to a report.
U.S. District Court Judge Eli Richardson ruled Monday that rules are established for “taint teams” to keep privileged information from being used by the prosecution, the Tennessee Journal reported.
The ruling came after prosecutors made an effort to block Cothren’s motion to quash the search warrants on his phones. Federal agents seized his devices and those of Brian Manookian and Republican activist Larry Grimes the morning of Jan. 30.
(READ MORE: Cothren fights search warrant in phone seizure, ‘cyberstalking’ case)