Former John Edwards Staffer in Contempt of Court Over Sex Tape

A North Carolina judge has found former John Edwards staffer Andrew Young and his wife, Cheri, in contempt of court for not turning over a sex tape featuring the onetime presidential candidate and his mistress, Rielle Hunter.

Superior Court Judge Abraham Jones ruled Friday that the Youngs have until Wednesday to turn over the tape, the Raleigh, N.C.News and Observer reported.

The judge told the couple that while he chose not to have them arrested, he could place them in custody at any time.

After the hearing, the Youngs said they would have no problem with turning the tape and other materials over to the court to be sealed until the civil case over possession is resolved, according to the News and Observer. The couple insisted they never had any intent of distributing the tape or showing it publicly.

The tape is in a safety deposit box in Atlanta, Ga. Other materials are being held by a lawyer in Washington.

Hunter said the tape and other personal items, including family photographs, should be turned over to her. Lawyers for Hunter argued that Young has no right to the tape, which he said he found after it had been thrown away. Young said he has kept it to help prove his account of how he helped Edwards cover up his affair with Hunter, which Young detailed in a book out last week.