Mortenson asks judge to toss 'Three Cups' lawsuit

HELENA, Mont. (AP) -- Greg Mortenson has asked a judge to throw out a lawsuit
 that accuses him of defrauding readers in his best-selling "Three Cups of Tea.'
   The Montana humanitarian's attorney says the lawsuit would subject other
authors to expensive claims and stifle the free exchange of ideas.
   The attorneys who filed the lawsuit argue that it should go forward because
of a famous precedent. They say in court documents filed Tuesday that Mortenson's
 case is "nearly identical" to the class-action lawsuit against James Frey.
   Frey admitted six years ago on "The Oprah Winfrey Show" that he lied in his
memoir, "A Million Little Pieces."
   That lawsuit ended in a settlement that offered refunds to buyers of the book.
   U.S. District Judge Sam Haddon has not yet set a hearing on Mortenson's request.
   AP-WF-02-09-12 2139GMT