Hon. Judge Charles Mitchell has declared a mistrial in the Engle-progeny tobacco trial Warrick v. R.J. Reynolds, in Jacksonville. The jury, which had the previous day requested to review the deposition testimony of Mr. and Mrs. Warrick and their daughter, was deadlocked.
Topics: Toxic Torts, Products Liability, Engle Progeny, Warrick v. RJ Reynolds, Tobacco Litigation
Shook Hardy Bacon's Kenneth Reilly closed for the defendant tobacco companies in Warrick v. R.J. Reynolds, webcast live by CVN.
Topics: Toxic Torts, Products Liability, Engle Progeny, Warrick v. RJ Reynolds, Tobacco Litigation
In his closing argument, Jones Day's Peter Biersteker reminded the jury in Piendle v. Reynolds, "It would be very easy for you to forget during Mr. Barnhart's closing that this case is about Mr. Piendle...and the choices he made, and make no mistake about it: they were choices."
Topics: Products Liability, Engle Progeny, Piendle v. RJ Reynolds
Closing arguments began this morning in Warrick v. Reynolds. Plaintiff attorney Bob Shields, of Doffermyre Shields, showed the jury video of Philip Morris' president saying, "We do not believe cigarettes are hazardous. We don't accept that," and of a Philip Morris Executive Vice President who stated in 1976 that they could remove dangerous substances from cigarettes if any were proven present, but no one ever has. "I wouldn't be in the business," said the EVP, "if I thought cigarettes were dangerous. The real danger is telling people things that aren't so...I don't know if they are dangerous or not -- someone should find out." That campaign of denying the dangerous nature of cigarettes, said Mr. Shields, continued through 1999.
Topics: Toxic Torts, Products Liability, Engle Progeny, Warrick v. RJ Reynolds, Tobacco Litigation
The final witness in Warrick v. R.J. Reynolds was Dr. Jill Hayes, Ph.D., who was offered by the defense as an expert in addiction. According to Dr. Hayes, cigarette smokers can quit smoking even if addicted, and having difficulty quitting a behavior does not necessarily indicate an addiction, just as people dieting want to lose weight, but may eat too much anyway.
Topics: Toxic Torts, Products Liability, Engle Progeny, Warrick v. RJ Reynolds, Tobacco Litigation
