Where was Black pointing while removing boxes?

FEDERAL COURT | Feds say it was at camera, but secretary testifies it was at her

For a few moments Thursday in the criminal trial of former media baron Conrad Black, the focus was on a finger.

Conrad Black's finger. And where it was pointing.

Black's finger briefly filled part of a courtroom screen as prosecutors projected footage from security cameras at Black's Toronto office from May 2005.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeff Cramer suggested Black was pointing straight at the security camera before he moved to another area to remove 13 boxes filled with allegedly incriminating documents from his Toronto offices. For taking the boxes, Black is charged with obstructing justice.

Black's personal assistant, Joan Maida, also caught on the cameras, suggested an innocent explanation from the witness stand Thursday. Black was pointing at her, she suggested.

During a dogged cross-examination, Maida backtracked and said: "You know what, I don't know."

Black and three other former executives are charged with stealing $84 million from Hollinger International, now Sun-Times Media Group.

Maida was clear she never tried to hide documents from investigators nor did Black order her to.

She was less certain on other matters.

At one point, she said she did not know that a security camera had been recently installed at the back door of Hollinger Inc. in Toronto, which captured Black actually hauling out the documents. Then she said she knew the camera was there.

She said she packed some boxes to set up an office at home as Hollinger was evicted from its offices.

But she acknowledged never asking Black to take the boxes to her home.