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Judge Sternly Rebukes Lawyer for Stating "Musk Doesn't Want Money in This Lawsuit"
Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla, was absent from the final arguments of the lawsuit he filed against OpenAI, as he was part of U.S. President Donald Trump's delegation to China.
Musk's legal representative, lawyer Steven Mollo, announced his client's absence, who is both the plaintiff and a witness in the lawsuit, and apologized to the jury at the trial held on the 14th (local time) at the Oakland division of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, as reported by American economic broadcaster CNBC.
Lawyer Mollo appealed to the jury for Musk's sincerity, stating, "This lawsuit is something he is very passionate about."
Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers, who presides over this trial, had previously ordered CEO Musk to be 'on call' to appear in court within a short period if necessary.
Witnesses appearing in court generally need to obtain court permission before traveling long distances.
A court spokesperson stated they were unaware if Musk had received travel permission, and his legal team did not respond to related inquiries.
The defendants, including OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and President Greg Brockman, all appeared in court that day, presenting a stark contrast.
During the final arguments that day, lawyer Mollo launched a concentrated attack, arguing that Altman lacked credibility.
He cited that five witnesses, including Musk and former OpenAI directors or executives, had testified that Altman was a 'liar,' emphasizing, "Altman's credibility is a direct issue in this case."
Conversely, Musk wished for his funds not to be used for personal gain, stating, "Elon wanted OpenAI to remain a charity. He did not want the non-profit organization to disappear."
Lawyer Mollo was also reprimanded by the court for mentioning that Musk did not want money from this lawsuit.
Judge Rogers sharply criticized him that day, saying, "You are seeking restitution of billions of dollars in unjust enrichment," and demanded that he retract the statement or abandon the claim for billions of dollars.
In this lawsuit, Musk has demanded the dismissal of OpenAI executives Altman and Brockman and the return of $134 billion (approximately 198 trillion won) in unjust enrichment they acquired to the OpenAI Foundation, the non-profit parent organization.
Both legal representatives agreed to correct the statement to the jury.
It has not yet been decided when the nine-member jury will begin deliberations.
If a verdict is not reached by the 18th, the judge and legal representatives from both sides will meet again in court to discuss how to reorganize OpenAI and how much compensation should be paid if Musk wins.
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