Ray Persons delivers his opening statement for R.J. Reynolds, on trial with Philip Morris in a suit claiming the tobacco companies caused the nicotine addiction and heart disease death of John "Jack" Faricy.
Gainesville, FL—A sweeping conspiracy to hide the dangers and addictiveness of cigarettes ultimately killed a former University of Florida marketing professor, an attorney for the professor’s widow said as trial began Wednesday against the nation’s two biggest cigarette makers. Faricy-Pardue v. R.J. Reynolds, 2014-CA-2010.