LONDON - Almost three years to the day that "The Da Vinci Code" was first published, American author Dan Brown found himself on a witness stand in courtroom 61 of London's High Court on Monday, denying accusations he copied from others to produce his huge best-seller.



Authors Michael Baigent and Richard Leigh are suing "Da Vinci Code" publisher Random House for copyright infringement, claiming Brown "appropriated the architecture" of their 1982 nonfiction book "The Holy Blood and the Holy Grail."

Both books explore theories — dismissed by theologians but embraced by millions of readers — that Jesus married Mary Magdalene, the couple had a child and the bloodline survives.

If the writers succeed in securing an injunction to bar the use of their material, they could hold up the scheduled May 19 release of "The Da Vinci Code" film starring Tom Hanks and Ian McKellen.

With his book an international sensation, Brown has rarely spoken to the media over the past couple of years and has made few public appearances, spending much of his time in his rural New Hampshire home, working on a new novel.

But over the past couple of weeks, the 41-year-old author has watched lawyers dissect accounts of the medieval Knights Templar, the secretive Priory of Sion and the Merovingian royal line allegedly descended from Jesus.

In a witness statement released Monday as Brown took the stand, the writer said it was "absurd to suggest that I have organized and presented my novel in accordance with the same general principles" as the earlier book.

Responding to questions from the plaintiffs' attorney, Brown said much of the research for the book was done by his wife, Blythe.

"She was deeply passionate about the sacred feminine," Brown said.

Brown's lawyers released a previous witness statement in which the author said he was shocked by the allegations.

"Baigent and Leigh are only two of a number of authors who have written about the bloodline story, and yet I went out of my way to mention them for being the one who brought the story to mainstream attention," Brown said in the statement.

"I have been shocked at their reaction; furthermore I do not really understand it."

The plaintiffs' allegations contain "numerous sweeping statements which seem to me to be completely fanciful," Brown said.

Random House lawyers argue that the ideas in dispute are so general they are not protected by copyright. They also say many of the ideas in "The Holy Blood and the Holy Grail" do not feature in Brown's novel, which follows fictional professor Robert Langdon as he investigates the murder of an elderly member of an ancient society that guards dark secrets about the story of Jesus and the quest for the Holy Grail.

Under cross-examination, Brown acknowledged some uncertainty about the dates of events leading up to the March 18, 2003, publication of "The Da Vinci Code."

In his statement, however, he said he was certain he and his wife had not consulted "The Holy Blood and the Holy Grail" for research until after the ideas and storyline of "The Da Vinci Code" were "very well developed."

"All of my early research came from other sources," he said.

Among the documents submitted to court were 39 books and more than 300 documents Brown said he consulted while writing "The Da Vinci Code."

During more than three days of cross-examination last week by Random House lawyer John Baldwin, Baigent conceded that several key points in the claimants' case were wrong — including the claim that "The Da Vinci Code" contained all the same historical conjecture as the earlier book.

"I would concede that 'all' is far too strong," Baigent said. "I would say 'most.'"

Brown's fast-moving theological thriller has sold more than 40 million copies since it was published three years ago this week. "The Holy Blood and the Holy Grail" — a more modest best-seller on its release — has seen a surge in sales since the trial began, going from about 350 copies sold a week in Britain to 3,000, according trade publication The Bookseller.

The third author of "The Holy Blood and the Holy Grail," Henry Lincoln, is not involved in the case. A lawyer for the plaintiffs, Paul Sutton, refused to say why he was not participating.

Lincoln, who is in his 70s and reportedly in poor health, could not be reached for comment.

this will be interesting to watch.


[Edited 3/13/06 8:41am]

I just finished reading it ,and yes i know i'm late with it (ALTHOM )