Musk's Trial Lawyer Apologizes to Jury for CEO's Absence — Musk Left for China Mid-Trial

CNBC·medium signal

Elon Musk's lead attorney apologized to the jury on May 14 after Musk departed for China during the final week of his own $150B lawsuit against OpenAI. The absence raised questions about Musk's seriousness in the case and forced his legal team into damage control during closing arguments. Musk's China trip coincides with Tesla business interests there. For context: Musk initiated this lawsuit seeking Altman's removal and massive damages, making his voluntary absence during the verdict phase a notable strategic signal.