Tobacco Documents Online

r RICHMOND TIMES DISPATCH December 21, 1967 Richmond Tinie.-bisimtch, ` • • A-t0 Thurs:, Dec, 21, 1960, 1.J t!IiC~\AA1~.iL1Y :~;'3 ~'~`~"7 J314.74 -' e/ll Sue AP WirephotoIioUert L. titriclcman He'll Ask S100 Million 25.' ~_ ' Rs,-.Cfor Teiecats -_:On Filter NEW YORK, t;M - Robert L. Strickman claimed Wednesday he has been defamed by Na- tional Broadcasting Co. tele- casts regarding the effective- ness of his new cigarette filter. He said' he will sue the net- w o r k for $100 milliom in dniages. Strickman told a nes confer- ence he expected Columbia In the Huntley-Brinkley pro- scientific trusts I hope to gram Monday, NBC reported endow for the benefit of the the Strickman filter may be no sick."' better than those in use. Nearing Completion The NBC report saidl ai tes- ting program~ being conducted at Columbia "is nearing com- plt:tion, and' indicatons are that the filter has not' lived up to the promise of the July 13 an- Columbia University declined comment on the `'BC report on the grounds that it is com- mitted to report results of its testing of the filter first to the Senate Commece Committee. No Restrictions In Seattle, wash., the cmmittee chairman, Sen. War- ren G. Magnuson. D-Wash., said his committee had placed no restrictions on Columbia about making statements re- garding the filter. Magnuson said Columbia's president, Dr. Grayson Kirk, appeared at an open hearing of the committee some months ago and agreed to report back to the cmmittee on later find- ings on the Strickman filter. The senator added: "HHis testimony indicat'e& they might have been a: littlo premature in telling about t'his fllter on the basis of their evaluations and thev wanted! to do a little more testing on it." University to join with him in l nouncement, that it cannot'be the suit, but a universityl'considered "revolutonary,' that spokesman said, "Our counsel i it is, in fact, not significantly has informed NBC's counsel better than any conventional that the university hasn o in- filter now in use." tention of suing NBC."' ' Subsequently, NBC News re- Cohimbiaa nnounced July 13 ported Tuesday: "And Strick- that it had obtained~ rights to man has said he assigned the t h e Strickman filter, and; filter t'o Columbia because "ipt termed it "revolutionary." The is the best'~ medical' school' in university said it reduces tar the world and! I know many and nicotine by about 70 per people there.' The fact'~ is, cent over conventional filters. ; Strickman's minority interest -- is 49 per cent." Strickman, 56, replied: "I personally have less than 15 per cent. I am trustee for hold- ings which will be of no benefit to, me. 11 have not seen fit to explain Mhich charitauleand Ft si