Dole Claims Fraud In Nicaragua Banana Worker Suits

Attorneys for the plaintiffs who sought to sue Dole made only a brief opening statement. But one of the lawyers, Michael Axline, said he agreed with the Dole lawyer that "all parties were in a nightmare situation."

He expressed regrets for the actions of a one-time co-counsel in Nicaragua who is now accused of engineering the fraud.

Similar lawsuits against Dole are pending in Florida, Texas and Hawaii, among other states.

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Associated Press Writer Thomas Watkins contributed to this report.