Leonard-Stark Chief Judge Leonard Stark of the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware. Photo: Jason Doiy/ALM

A Delaware federal judge on Wednesday denied GN Netcom's request for a new trial in its antitrust suit against rival headset-maker Plantronics, rejecting claims that the court mishandled evidence related to alleged spoliation by a top Plantronics executive.

U.S. District Chief Judge Leonard P. Stark of the District of Delaware said instructions given to a federal jury in October had not deprived GN Netcom Inc. of a fair trial in the case, which the company valued at $212 million.

The Wilmington jury deliberated for just one hour before returning a verdict Oct. 18, 2017, that Plantronics Inc. did not violate U.S. antitrust law, despite instructions that it could assume thousands of emails—deleted at the order of Plantronics' former head of sales—would have cut against Plantronics' defense.