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Re: The Fight for Truth, Justice & the American Way, in Monahans!

In your message dated Saturday 30, May 1998 you wrote :

> My whole point was simply that the Williamette case seemed to be one
> about theft and absolutely nothing to do with the fact that it was a
> meteorite, as far as the law was concerned. 

Hi Steve,

It doesn't matter one iota whether the object was meteorite, a horse or a blade 
of grass: laws relating to property do not make such distinctions. Sometimes a 
government will introduce additional laws to give a certain category of object 
extra protection but, again, such laws do not necessarily have to mention a 
particular type of object (e.g. "minerals of scientific value" could mean both 
terrestrial minerals and extra-terrestrial minerals, common minerals and rare 
minerals.)

I would be very cautious about trying to bring legal action against the city 
authorities. It could cost a small fortune - far more than the meteorite is 
worth - and, on the basis of previous cases, I'd say you have little chance of 
succeeding. Even if you won the first round there could be endless appeals and 
it is likely that the national authorities would get involved in order to prove 
a point: the professionals are getting a little worried about the growth in 
private collections and the greed of certain traders.

-- 
Phil Bagnall
http://www.ticetboo.demon.co.uk/