I believe Murdoch that he didn't take in what he was being told. How many times have you sat telling a manager something important, when his mind has been on his own agenda? With his pay packet, Murdoch probably thinks a paltry half mill is not worth the lawyers wittering on about.
The point is: if he wasn't listening, he should have been, but he's too inexperienced a manager to focus on the small things (just half a million - sign it off).
Former News of the World legal manager Tom Crone has told MPs he was "certain" he told James Murdoch about an email which indicated phone hacking at the paper went beyond one rogue reporter.
Giving evidence to the committee, Mr Crone said: "It was clear evidence that phone-hacking was taking place beyond Clive Goodman. It was the reason that we had to settle the case. And in order to settle the case we had to explain the case to Mr Murdoch and get his authority to settle.
It was at that meeting that James Murdoch authorised him to reach a settlement Mr Taylor, who was eventually paid £425,000 over the hacking of his phone, the committee heard.
Following Tuesday's proceedings, News International released a statement in which Mr Murdoch said: "My recollection of the meeting regarding the Gordon Taylor settlement is absolutely clear and consistent. I stand by my testimony, which is an accurate account of events."
Mr Murdoch wrote to the committee on 11 August to expand on the evidence he gave that he was not shown or informed of the "for Neville" email.
