SCIENCE/TECHNOLOGY
Hughes Accuser: Michael C. Denlinger, the former Hughes Aircraft Co. staff engineer who filed a $9.6-billion “whistle-blower” lawsuit against his former employer, is back in court.
Denlinger’s original suit, filed in June, 1989, charged that Hughes covered up flaws in 4.75 million microchips produced in its defense systems since 1985. The Justice Department, after conducting its own investigation, decided in March that it would not join the suit.
The suit was dismissed April 9 for lack of evidence. At the time, Denlinger’s attorney, William Humphreys of Santa Ana, said the dismissal was a procedural matter, and he vowed that he would file an amended suit.
An amended suit, with what Humphreys said are basically the same charges, was filed June 6. Richard Dore, a Hughes spokesman, said the company filed its answer denying all charges on June 28.
