A former team leader from NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory — the head of the Cassini mission exploring Saturn and its moons — is expected in court Tuesday morning over allegations that he was wrongfully terminated because of his belief in intelligent design.
Opening statements in the lawsuit by David Coppedge were expected in Los Angeles Superior Court after lawyers spent Monday arguing several pretrial motions. Coppedge told Fox News he initial filed suit because he felt that “a grave injustice had been done.” The reasons behind the case have since changed, however.
“Then I got fired. That added a retaliation aspect to this case,” Coppedge said.
Coppedge, who worked as a “team lead” on the Cassini mission, claims he was discriminated against because he engaged his co-workers in conversations about intelligent design and handed out DVDs on the idea while at work.