Originally published Tuesday, August 5, 2008 at 12:00 AM

Bennett's attorneys claim Schultz's lawsuit was conceived by Wally Walker, Slade Gorton

Attorneys for Clay Bennett claim that Howard Schultz's lawsuit seeking to rescind the sale of the Sonics was conceived by Wally Walker and Slade Gorton.

By Seattle Times staff and news services

Attorneys for Clay Bennett claim that Howard Schultz's lawsuit seeking to rescind the sale of the Sonics was conceived by Wally Walker and Slade Gorton.

The Professional Basketball Club filed its opposition to Schultz's effort to separate the case into liability and remedy phases Monday in U.S. District Court in Seattle. Schultz filed a motion on July 24, asking Judge Marsha Pechman to "bifurcate," or divide the case.

Bennett's attorneys claim the suit was intended to derail the NBA's vote to relocate the team, and to rehabilitate Schultz's image.

It's absurd, ludicrous and laughable," Walker said Monday night in a telephone interview. "I haven't talked to Howard about this or anything related."

Richard Yarmuth, Schultz's attorney, responded with a letter to members of the Basketball Club of Seattle — the group headed by Schultz that sold the team to Bennett's group and now seeks to rescind the sale.

The claim that Walker, a former Sonics president, and former U.S. Sen. Gorton conceived the suit "is absolutely and demonstrably false," Yarmuth writes.

Yarmuth said he will respond Friday to the court with a reply on the merits of bifurcating the trial.

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