[CPProt.net] Getty museum withheld letters from Italians-report

[MSN CPPnet (Ton Cremers)]

Getty museum withheld letters from Italians-report
Fri Sep 2, 2005 7:14 PM ET

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - The J. Paul Getty Trust, which operates one of
California's most respected museums, withheld potentially crucial documents
from Italian authorities investigating the trafficking of stolen artifacts,
the Los Angeles Times reported on Friday.

The newspaper said the letters and photographs suggested that the Getty's
chief curator of antiquities maintained close relationships with dealers
suspected of selling art that was looted or illegally excavated in Italy.

Curator Marion True went on trial in Rome in July accused of criminal
conspiracy to receive stolen goods and illegal receipt of archeological
artifacts. The trial was immediately adjourned and is scheduled to resume in
November.

The Getty did not return calls seeking comment but True and the Getty have
maintained innocence in the case, which is seen as part of an effort by
Italy to crack down on art trafficking by putting pressure on museums and
collectors to verify the origin of their acquisitions.

The case involves some 40 artifacts that Italian prosecutors believe were
illegally excavated or stolen and later acquired by the Getty, including a
prized ancient Greek statue of Aphrodite.

The Getty has said it has cooperated fully with the Italian authorities. But
the Los Angeles Times printed what it said was a confidential 2001 memo by
the Getty's chief criminal lawyer saying that an internal review of Getty
files had turned up letters from the suspect dealers and True.

The letters and photos indicated dealers were offering objects "which appear
to be from illegal excavations." But Getty lawyer Richard Martin advised
Trust Chief Executive Barry Munitz that the Getty was not obliged to turn
them over to the Italians because they had not been specifically requested.

"It is obvious that we should not offer to produce what has not been asked
for," Martin wrote, advising a strategy offering voluntary cooperation with
the Italians to avoid the risk of an official subpoena.

The paper quoted the Getty as saying in a statement that Trust officials had
"acted appropriately at all times" in their dealing with Italian authorities
and had provided all documents requested by the prosecutors.

The statement added that all other documents in the Getty's possession that
could be relevant to the Italian probe "have been retained and preserved by
the Getty."

The Getty said the story by the Los Angeles Times was based on privileged
documents that had been stolen from the Trust.