High court won't hear Da Vinci Code case

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WASHINGTON (AFX) - The Supreme Court on Monday handed a victory to the author of the "The Da Vinci Code," refusing to consider a case alleging copyright infringement.

Author Lewis Perdue contended Dan Brown's megathriller is substantially similar to his book, written years before the 2003 publication of "The Da Vinci Code.

Some 60.5 million copies of "The Da Vinci Code" are in print worldwide.

Perdue argued that affidavits detailing similarities between his book, "Daughter of God," and Brown's book should have been considered by a federal judge, who rejected them. The judge ruled that no reasonable juror could find parts of Perdue's work substantially similar to "The Da Vinci Code." An appeals court upheld the ruling. Copyright 2006 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be