Suit Against U.S. Spy Suspect Dismissed

U.S. spy suspect Edmond D. Pope won a small victory when a judge threw out a $250-million claim lodged against him by the Russian navy. Pope’s lawyer, Pavel Astakhov, told Echo of Moscow radio that the Russian navy’s department of anti-submarine armaments had sought the damages to cover the cost of research that it claims the American stole. Interfax news agency quoted Astakhov as saying the trial judge rejected the lawsuit because it had been filed after Pope’s trial began Oct. 18--a breach of legal rules. The court has yet to hand down a verdict on the former U.S. intelligence officer.