McDonnell Douglas Executive Cleared in China Export Case Sunday, July 16, 2000 WASHINGTON (AP) - A federal judge dismissed an indictment against a McDonnell Douglas Corp. executive who was charged in a broader case that accused the aircraft company of trying to circumvent U.S. export controls and ship sophisticated machine tools to China for use in military production. U.S. District Judge Paul L. Friedman, in a ruling Friday, threw out the case against Robert Hitt, who directed the company's China program office, because it exceeded the five-year statute of limitations. Hitt was charged in only one of the 16 counts against McDonnell Douglas and a Chinese government-owned company, the China National Aero-Technology Import Export Corp., or CATIC. The case involved McDonnell Douglas' sale in 1994 of 19 surplus machine tools to the Chinese company for $5 million. The U.S. government licensed the export of the tools only for use in a joint Chinese-McDonnell Douglas program to build 40 McDonnell Douglas civilian airliners in China. Six of the sophisticated machine tools were diverted, in violation of license restrictions, to the Nanchang Aircraft Corp., where China makes Silkworm cruise missiles and A-5 attack aircraft. Hitt had argued that the indictment involved allegations about incidences occurring on Sept. 14, 1994 - more than five years before the Oct. 19, 1999, charges were handed down. The government had disputed this view, saying that the conspiracy had a broader goal that was not achieved until later - bringing it within the scope of the statute of limitations. The judge agreed with Hitt's view, dismissing the indictment. Hitt's lawyer, Dan Marmalefsky told The Los Angeles Times that Hitt, who still works for McDonnell Douglas, was relieved. ``He can once again devote his full energies to his work,'' Marmalefsky. The lawyer told the newspaper that the charges against the other defendants remained intact because their lawyers agreed to waive the statute of limitations even before the grand jury issued indictments in the case. <A HREF="http://www.ctrl.org/">www.ctrl.org</A> DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER ========== CTRL is a discussion & informational exchange list. Proselytizing propagandic screeds are unwelcomed. Substance—not soap-boxing—please! These are sordid matters and 'conspiracy theory'—with its many half-truths, mis- directions and outright frauds—is used politically by different groups with major and minor effects spread throughout the spectrum of time and thought. That being said, CTRLgives no endorsement to the validity of posts, and always suggests to readers; be wary of what you read. CTRL gives no credence to Holocaust denial and nazi's need not apply. Let us please be civil and as always, Caveat Lector. ======================================================================== Archives Available at: http://peach.ease.lsoft.com/archives/ctrl.html <A HREF="http://peach.ease.lsoft.com/archives/ctrl.html">Archives of [EMAIL PROTECTED]</A> http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/ <A HREF="http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/">ctrl</A> ======================================================================== To subscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SUBSCRIBE CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] To UNsubscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SIGNOFF CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] Om