Destruction of E-mail

Burst.com Alleges Microsoft Cover-Up. "One of the last two companies standing against what it calls Microsoft's anti-competitive behavior said it has smoking-gun proof that Redmond deliberately destroyed evidence in an antitrust case. Burst.com, creator of video and audio delivery software for IP networks, claims that Redmond stole technology and trade secrets acquired during two years of negotiations. In a June 2002 civil suit, Burst.com accused Microsoft (Quote, Chart) of anti-competitive behavior and violating federal and state antitrust laws. Now, court documents claim, Burst.com has evidence that Microsoft followed a policy of deliberately destroying e-mail that could be used as evidence against it. Legal documents made public on Wednesday include evidence of a 1995 "do-not-save-e-mail directive," and a "30-Day E-Mail Destruction Rule" promulgated by Jim Allchin, group vice president of Platforms . . ."