The jury in Piendle v. R.J. Reynolds found that Charlie Piendle's addiction to cigarettes was the legal cause of his death, and awarded $4M in compensatory damages to his widow, Margaret Piendle. The jury apportioned 45% fault to Mr. Piendle, and 27.5% fault each to R.J. Reynolds and Philip Morris. The jury also found that punitive damages were warranted, and the trial will move to the punitive damages phase.
Topics: Toxic Torts, Products Liability, Engle Progeny, Tobacco Litigation, Piendle v. RJ Reynolds
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
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
Searcy Denney's Greg Barnhart began closing arguments in the Piendle v. R.J. Reynolds Engle-progeny tobacco trial.
Topics: Toxic Torts, Products Liability, Tobacco Litigation, Piendle v. RJ Reynolds
