'Sahara' jury selection starts
Cussler suing Crusader over 2005 film
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Jury selection began Monday in author Clive Cussler's lawsuit against producer Philip Anschutz over the poorly performing 2005 film that starred Matthew McConaughey and Penelope Cruz. Cussler is suing Anschutz's company, Crusader Entertainment, claiming his extensive rights of approval over the script and other aspects of the film were violated.
Anschutz countersued, claiming that Cussler virtually blackmailed the company by refusing to give script approval and that he tanked the movie by disparaging it in public. Anschutz also alleges that Cussler made racist and anti-Semitic remarks during the production of the film.
Trial is expected to take nine weeks, Los Angeles Superior Court Judge John Shook told potential jurors Monday. In addition to Cussler and Anschutz, the vast witness list includes producers Howard and Karen Baldwin, Mace Neufield, Matthew McConaughey, Sherry Lansing and Breck Eisner, who directed "Sahara."
The case should start in earnest by the end of the week, after jury selection is complete. Cussler was in attendance Monday with his attorneys Bert Fields and Elisabeth Moriarty of Greenberg Glusker.
The Anschutz entities are represented by Alan Rader and Marvin Putnam of O'Melveny & Myers. If jury selection is any indication, the trial should have some fireworks.
Fields asked potential jurors Monday if any of them had a problem with racial slurs. Curiously, only one potential juror said he did.
