Marshals have been authorized to seize America's Cup champion Oracle Team USA's prototype boat "in response to a lien filed by Kiwi sailor Joe Spooner, whose contract was terminated in January," according to STUFF. The warrant was issued late Friday by clerk Richard Wieking of the U.S. District Court in San Francisco. It is believed the boat is "still at Oracle's base at Pier 80 in San Francisco." The syndicate, owned by software billionaire Larry Ellison, is in the process of "moving its operations to Bermuda," where it has chosen to defend the America's Cup in '17. Spooner, a New Zealander, sued Oracle Team USA last month, saying his contract for $25,000 a month was terminated without cause. Chief Magistrate Joseph Spero denied Spooner's initial complaint on Feb. 23, but said he could "file an amended complaint." Spooner's attorney, Patricia Barlow of San Francisco, filed an amended complaint Friday. She said Spooner had obtained a visa that "required him to be working under a fixed-term contract, and that Oracle argued that the sailor had an at-will contract." Besides the visa issue, Spooner's complaint alleges that Oracle Team USA "retaliated against him for asking if his monthly salary could be raised" to $38,000 to cover the expense of relocating to Bermuda. Spooner was offered a $4,000 a month relocation housing allowance, but said it would cost around $7,500 a month for "suitable housing for his family, as well as other expenses to live on the island for the America's Cup cycle." Spooner is seeking at least $725,000 in damages (STUFF, 3/8).
