JPL finally wins wrongful termination lawsuit

According to an article in the Pasadena Star-News, Jet Propulsion Laboratory has finally won the wrongful termination lawsuit filed by David Coppedge. NCSE has posted the judge’s decision here. You may see an interpretation of the case here.

Briefly, Coppedge was laid off in 2011 because he did not adequately learn a new system that JPL was adopting, but he argued in court that his dismissal was the result of religious discrimination. The Star-News quotes his lawyer as saying

David was the victim of religious discrimination because a handful of malicious co-workers hated his Christian views, as well as his interest in intelligent design, which they ignorantly [sic] perceived to be a religious concept. He was demoted and fired for simply being a Christian and someone who believes that nature can be scientifically explained by reference to designs found within it.

According to an article in the La Cañada Valley Sun, however, JPL

argued Coppedge had a history of work-related complaints against him and that he was laid off for legitimate reasons at a time when the agency was shedding some 200 administrative jobs.

The judge ruled against Coppedge on every claim and also ruled against every objection filed by his attorneys, according to the Sun.