Random claims early victory in Da Vinci Code trial

According to Random House, the Court “ordered that a substantial part of the claim, which has never been clear, be struck out and more specific details substituted. The Court also ordered that remaining details be supplied within 14 days and that Random House’s costs thrown away by these changes be paid by Messrs Baigent and Leigh.”
It added: “Random House is delighted with this result which reinforces its long held contention that this is a claim without merit.”
Paul Sutton, partner at Orchard Solicitors which is acting for Leigh and Baigent, refused to comment, but their agent, Anne Evans of Jonathan Clowes, was dismissive of suggestions Random House had won a victory.
“It may be expressed in a different form but our case hasn’t changed,” she said. “Having gone through the whole experience, we actually feel more confident than before.”
Leigh and Baigent accuse Dan Brown of having copied the “whole jigsaw puzzle” of their 1982 work, in particular the hypothesis that Jesus married Mary Magdalene and founded a bloodline protected by secret societies.
A trial date has been set for 27th February. “We’re really, really looking forward to seeing Dan Brown cross-examined in the witness box,” Evans added.
katherine.rushton@bookseller.co.uk