Sonics Trial Blog
Seattle Times reporters Percy Allen, Jim Brunner and Danny O'Neil are filing updates from the courthouse throughout the day.
SubscribeJune 20, 2008 2:02 PM
Developer Matt Griffin testifies about effort to buy Sonics
Posted by Jim Brunner
Lunch recess is over, with Seattle developer Matt Griffin on the stand.
Sonics lead attorney Brad Keller is questioning Griffin about his involvement with Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer and others who were trying to purchase the Sonics.
Keller is trying to establish that the city of Seattle was a party to a "Machiavellian plan" to force Sonics owner Clay Bennett into selling the team.
Noting that part of that plan was to make Bennett lose money at KeyArena, Keller asked Griffin, "you had no ability to lock the PBC (Bennett's group) into losses at KeyArena, did you?"
Griffin responded: "Not that I know of." He agreed with Keller that only the city could create those financial losses (by holding the team to its lease.)
Keller also displayed e-mails in which Griffin and others discussed putting Bennett "in a box."
Keller asked whether "in a box" meant forcing Bennett to sell the team. Griffin resisted that, saying the goal was to make Bennett do something other than relocating. "I would have been happy if he'd stayed," Griffin said.
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Recent stories
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Documents
2007 "Poisoned Well" document (PDF)
Ward: "Are we doomed to have another lameduck season in Seattle?" (PDF)
Bennett's e-mail to Stern: "You are just one of my favorite people on earth" (PDF)
Clay Bennett and Sonics' court filing (PDF)
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Other links
Trial coverage from www.newok.com
ESPN.com | Hope (still) springs in Seattle