Randall Bassett tells jurors David Robertson was not a "tortured" smoker addicted to nicotine during closings of Irene Robertson's suit against Bassett's client, R.J. Reynolds. The tobacco company prevailed Monday against Irene Roberton's claim that Reynolds' was liable for her husband's nicotine addiction and fatal cancer. Watch the trial.

Fort Lauderdale, FL—Jurors Monday cleared R.J. Reynolds of liability for the lung cancer death of a Florida plaster worker who smoked for more than five decades. Robertson v. R.J. Reynolds, 07-CV-36442.

The six-member jury answered no to the preliminary question of whether David Robertson, the smoker at the case’s heart, was addicted to nicotine that caused his lung cancer. 

(Photo: "Under the Influence 2014" by CZR-E for the Come Up Show / CC BY 2.0)

(VERDICT UPDATE: After a weeklong trial, a Fulton County Superior Court jury issued a verdict in favor of Young Jeezy (given name Jay Jenkins) in the lawsuit brought by former business associate Demetrius Ellerbee (also known as "Kinky B"). The jury specifically found that Ellerbee was not entitled to half of Jeezy's earnings under the terms of the singer's contract with Def Jam Recordings, also a defendant in the case. In addition, the jury found in favor of Jeezy on the other counts of Ellerbee's complaint, alleging conversion and RICO Act violations. Courtroom View Network will continue to cover this story, including video clips of trial highlights, as it develops, and complete gavel-to-gavel coverage of the trial will be available on CVN's website as soon as possible.)

Attorneys in their closing statements often call into question the testimony of key opposing witnesses. In a recent DeKalb County State Court case, however, the plaintiff’s attorney instead went after a number of specific statements made by the defense attorney in his opening statement, which plaintiff’s counsel painted as part of the “bullying” tactics adopted by the defense in the case. Stephanie Nelson v. Ryan Beiner and Rural/Metro Corporation (13-A-47097-2).

San Bernardino — A California state court jury awarded $1.3 million on Thursday to the husband of a woman who died in a rollover accident after her car struck a roadside cement box, finding the City of Redlands to be responsible for unsafe road conditions that caused her death.

Boston — A trial began Monday in a long-running class action filed in 1998 on behalf of nearly 200,000 Massachusetts smokers seeking up to $609 million from tobacco giant Philip Morris USA for allegedly duping them by falsely claiming that Marlboro Light brand cigarettes exposed them to lower tar and nicotine levels than Marlboro Reds.