Moon Rock Belongs on U.S. Soil, Judge Rules
From Times Wire Reports
The U.S. government has won back a tiny lump of 3.9-billion-year-old moon rock brought to Earth by the crew of Apollo 17 and stolen years ago from the government of Honduras, U.S. officials said Wednesday.
U.S. District Judge Adalberto Jordan in Miami granted the U.S. government forfeiture on the grounds that the grape-sized rock was stolen and smuggled into the United States.
Jordan ruled that although given to Honduras in 1973, the U.S. still legally owned the rock.
More to Read
Sign up for Essential California
The most important California stories and recommendations in your inbox every morning.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
