Tobacco Documents Online

stAnoN WABC-TV 1 ABC WORLD h'EWS SATURDAY CrTy NEW YORK 01/30/93 06:4OPM auaExa CHALRES KUEPER LAWSUIT BROADCAST EXCERPT CAROLE SIMPSON (ANCHOR): Tobacco industry officiale and smakers' rights groups are savoring a rare victory today. They're hailing an Illinois jury's decision that the tobacco industry is not responsible for one dying man's lung cancer. The :~tory from ABC'S Bill Blakemore. BILL BLAKEMORE (REPOR'PER) : The Supreme Court ruled last year that in spite of warning labels tobasr~mgeir3es might still be sued on the grounds of concealing information about the dangers of smoking. And that's what lung cancer patient Charles Kueper, a heavy smoker since his youth, said he and his lawyers would prove against R J Reynolds. Ca-D=S KUEPER (LUNG CANCER PATIENT) : I knew that smoking was bad for your health. The deceiving part is the way that they represent their products. Tobacco companies represent like there's no proof of it. BLARENCORE: The jury agreed some advertising is misleading but found no proof the tobacco industry had concealed damaging information from the public. In any case they found no proof Kueper's cancer was not caused by his work activity. JIM LORD (JUROR): The chemicals could have played a part. Cutting pipe, when he cut pipe could have played a part. ED RATKA (JURY FOREMAAI): He decided he wanted to smoke. He enjoyed it and he continued smoking throughout. Even after he was warned. Even after he realized there was warnings on cigarettes. BLARM+iORE: Rueper'a lawyers said after the verdict that tobacco companies are no better than Columbian drug lords. BRUCE COOK (KIIEPER' S LAWYER) : These are no good e-o-bs whoi/ encourage people to_smoke and they shouldn't profit- from it. BLAKEMORE: The tobacco industry, which feared a deluge of suites if it lost, says its-playing by the rules society set up in the form of warning labels. Bill Blakemore, ABC NEWS. 2U23913'719 c CC.,M