HP to Oracle: Leave Léo Alone!

Oracle attorney David Boies’s call for Hewlett-Packard CEO Léo Apotheker to testify in its trial against SAP drew a quick response from HP, which continues to dismiss Oracle’s efforts to put him on the stand as harassment and nothing more.

“As HP has said repeatedly, Oracle had ample opportunity to question Léo in the two years after he gave a full-day deposition,” a spokesperson told me Friday evening. “Léo was never asked to give an additional deposition. As HP and SAP have noted, Oracle chose not to include Léo as a live trial witness until after he was named CEO of HP. Léo had a limited role in the matter and Oracle’s current stance is clear proof that they have been trying to harass Léo and interfere with his work at HP.”

Point meet counterpoint. That said, Oracle likely would have been most interested in deposing Apotherker a second time after SAP’s stipulation to liability for contributory infringement. And that didn’t occur until October 29, 2010.

PREVIOUSLY:

• Oracle Still Hoping to Snag HP’s Apotheker for SAP Trial
• HP CEO to Oracle: Here’s Looking at You, Kid–Suntory Time!
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• SAP Attorney: Board Knew TomorrowNow Was Infringing at Time of Acquisition
• Oracle Co-President on SAP’s Damages Offer: “It’s Crazy”
• Oracle Enlists Process Servers, Not PIs, to Find HP CEO
• Oracle-SAP Trial: Ellison Swaps Katana for Poison Darts
• Objection: Mr. Ellison Is Referring to the Defendant as “Choleric of Temper” Again
• Oracle Lands Early Shots in SAP Trial
• Your Honor, We Object to Mr. Ellison’s Repeated Use of the Term “Slimy Weasels”
• Oracle to HP CEO: Chicken!
• Oracle Vs. SAP: We Got a Right to Pick a Little Fight–Bonanza!
• SAP’s Tab in Oracle Case: $120 Million and Counting
• Gag Order Denied in Oracle, SAP Trial
• Ellison Taunts HP CEO a Second Time
• SAP to Ellison: Save the Drama for Your Mama
• Ellison to HP CEO: “Warrior, Come Out to Plaaeeay!
• SAP: Please Gag Oracle
• HP Scandal Sucks in New York Times Columnist Over Conflict of Interest
• Welch to HP Board: You Don’t Know Jack!
• Insiders Criticize Ellison For HP CEO Slam
• Was Apotheker HP’s First Choice of CEO?
• HP Names Ex-SAP Chief Apotheker as CEO