Countersuit over finding Hunley thrown out

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al.com
May 17, 2007

CHARLESTON, S.C. — A federal judge in South Carolina has dismissed a counterclaim in a lawsuit relating to the discovery of the Confederate submarine Hunley.

Author Clive Cussler had sued underwater archaeologist E. Lee Spence in 2000. Cussler alleged Spence's claim of finding the sub injured the reputation of Cussler's National Underwater and Marine Agency.

Spence countersued in 2002, saying he suffered as much as 309 million dollars in damages because the discovery was credited to Cussler.

This week, U.S. District Judge Sol Blatt Junior dismissed the countersuit saying the statute of limitations on admiralty claims expired by the time Spence countersued.

Spence says his counterclaim was thrown out on a technicality and a jury next year will decide who is telling the truth about finding the sub.

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