Oliver North Begins Systematic Destruction of Iran-Contra Evidence

National Security Council staff member Oliver North and his secretary Fawn Hall begin systematically shredding documents that would expose illegal activities related to arms sales to Iran and the diversion of proceeds to Nicaraguan Contra rebels. The five-day document destruction campaign, running from November 21-25, 1986, represents a brazen attempt to obstruct justice as the scandal begins to unravel.

During North’s 1989 trial, Hall testifies extensively about helping North alter and shred official U.S. National Security Council documents from the White House. According to The New York Times, enough documents are fed into the government shredder to jam the machine. Hall estimates she shredded approximately one-and-a-half feet of documents in piles of 12-18 pages over 30 minutes to one hour.

Hall also testifies that she smuggled classified documents out of the Old Executive Office Building by concealing them in her boots and dress. On November 25, after North is fired, Hall continues sneaking documents to him by stuffing them in her skirt and boots, evading security protocols designed to protect classified information.

North is later charged with concealing, removing, mutilating, obliterating, falsifying, and destroying official NSC documents relevant to the Iran-Contra matter. After admitting he lied to Congress, he is convicted of shredding documents, obstruction of justice, and illegally receiving a security fence for his residence. However, his convictions are later overturned on appeal due to concerns about immunized testimony, allowing North to escape accountability for systematic evidence destruction that severely hampered congressional investigations and undermined the rule of law.