--- title: Oregon Jury Hears Openings In Latest J&J Talc/Mesothelioma Trial - Watch Gavel-to-Gavel via CVN description: An Oregon jury heard openings last week in a lawsuit claiming asbestos supposedly present in Johnson & Johnson’s talc-based cosmetic products caused a woman to develop fatal cancer. image: https://blog.cvn.com/hubfs/AdamsOpening.jpg --- [![](https://blog.cvn.com/hs-fs/hubfs/cvn-images/cvn-header-logo.png?width=333&name=cvn-header-logo.png "cvn-header-logo.png")](http://cvn.com) ![find_icon](https://blog.cvn.com/hs-fs/hubfs/find_icon.png?width=16&height=16&name=find_icon.png)   - [PRICING](http://cvn.com/pricing) - [CONTACT](http://cvn.com/feedbacks/new) - [LOGIN](https://cvn.com/login)   [![Subscribe-to-CVN-Blog-Graphic-small.png](https://blog.cvn.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Subscribe-to-CVN-Blog-Graphic-small.png?width=860&height=115&name=Subscribe-to-CVN-Blog-Graphic-small.png "Subscribe-to-CVN-Blog-Graphic-small.png")](http://cvn.com/pricing) # [Oregon Jury Hears Openings In Latest J&J Talc/Mesothelioma Trial - Watch Gavel-to-Gavel via CVN](https://blog.cvn.com/oregon-jury-hears-openings-in-latest-jj-talc/mesothelioma-trial-watch-gavel-to-gavel-via-cvn) Posted by [David Siegel](https://blog.cvn.com/author/david-siegel) on May 15, 2024 2:00:53 PM - [Tweet](https://twitter.com/share) ![AdamsOpening](https://blog.cvn.com/hs-fs/hubfs/AdamsOpening.jpg?width=1806&height=582&name=AdamsOpening.jpg) *CVN screenshot of plaintiff attorney Benjamin Adams delivering his opening statement* Portland, OR - An Oregon state court jury heard opening statements last week in a lawsuit claiming asbestos supposedly present in Johnson & Johnson’s talc-based cosmetic products caused a woman to develop fatal cancer, and the full trial is being [webcast gavel-to-gavel by Courtroom View Network.](https://cvn.com/proceedings/lee-v-johnson-johnson-trial-2024-04-29) Plaintiff Kyung Lee, born in 1974, claims a lifetime of using Johnson’s Baby Powder gave her mesothelioma - a lethal form of cancer affecting tissue around the lungs that is frequently associated with asbestos exposure. Her lawsuit accuses J&J of knowing their talc products contained asbestos but withholding that information from the public, however J&J denies any liability for Lee’s illness and maintains her asbestos exposure occurred from other sources. Lee’s trial marks just the second involving mesothelioma talc claims against J&J since the company lost a bid in bankruptcy court to dispose of the cases. The other trials to date, except for one, involved ovarian cancer claims - including one that ended recently with a [defense verdict in Florida also covered by CVN.](https://blog.cvn.com/florida-jury-clears-johnson-johnson-in-latest-cosmetic-talc-trial-watch-gavel-to-gavel-via-cvn) The plaintiff firm in the Oregon trial, Dallas-based Dean Omar Branham Shirley, also represented the plaintiffs in the only other post-bankruptcy J&J mesothelioma talc trial to date. That case ended with a $45 million verdict in Cook County, Illinois, where cameras remain prohibited in civil court proceedings. [![suggest-a-case-to-cvn](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/442422/30e87d0b-ecfd-45d4-851d-8457ddd2d4df.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/442422/30e87d0b-ecfd-45d4-851d-8457ddd2d4df) Dean Omar’s Benjamin Adams told jurors during his opening statement that J&J voluntarily recalled 33,000 bottles of talc-based baby powder in 2019 after FDA testing found they contained asbestos. Adams said the FDA findings confirmed internal J&J studies he argued showed the company knew its talc products were contaminated with asbestos, a claim defense attorney Will Stute of Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe vehemently denied during his opening statement. ![StuteOpening](https://blog.cvn.com/hs-fs/hubfs/StuteOpening.jpg?width=1827&height=564&name=StuteOpening.jpg) *CVN screenshot of defense attorney Will Stute delivering his opening statement* Stute told jurors studies finding the type of asbestos found in Lee’s lungs in J&J products are based on fundamentally flawed studies. He said J&J subjected its talc products to rigorous safety testing, and that Lee’s asbestos exposure was more likely from a textile plant she grew up near in South Korea. Attorneys for both sides can be seen securing major verdicts last year in trials also covered by CVN. Jessica Dean landed a $29.14 million verdict in a [cosmetic talc trial in South Carolina state court](https://blog.cvn.com/jury-awards-29m-cosmetic-talc-asbestos-verdict), while Will Stute [secured a defense verdict for the NCAA](https://blog.cvn.com/ncaa-prevails-at-55m-bellwether-trial-over-ex-usc-football-players-head-injuries-watch-online-via-cvn) in a bellwether trial over liability for athlete’s head injuries. Both trials, along with dozens of cosmetic talc and asbestos cases and hundreds more in a wide range of practice areas are available with a [monthly or annual subscription to CVN’s online trial video library.](http://www.cvn.com/pricing) The current trial, before Multnomah County Circuit Judge Katharine von Ter Stegge, is drawing increased scrutiny after J&J announced on May 1 plans for another bankruptcy filing that would pay out $6.48 billion to ovarian cancer victims but would not include mesothelioma cases. The Oregon case is captioned *Lee v. Johnson & Johnson, *case number 23CV400369. *Email David Siegel at dsiegel@cvn.com* Topics: [Asbestos](https://blog.cvn.com/topic/asbestos), [Lee v. 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