Tobacco Documents Online

-5- • ; Cigaret lawsuit Z 0 goes up in smoke me seocurEO raESs INDIANAPOLIS -Ajury yester- day found cigaret companies not responsible for a smoker's cancer death, a break for a tobacco indus- try that faces stiff new federal reg- ulations. The state court jury rejected claims from the widow of Richard Rogers that the companies were to blame for his lifetime of smoking that began as a youth and ended with his death in 1987 at 52. ' The suit - which sought at least $424,1100 - argued that Rogers, an attorney, was addicted to cigarets and that smoking caused his lung cancer. Tobacco lawyers said Rog- ers chose to smoke, despite warn- ings of the potential risks.' The tobacco companies - Phili Morris Cos.; R.J. Reynolds obacco Co., a unit of R.IR Nabisco Hold-ings Co.; American Tobacco Co.,' owned by BAT. Industries PLC; and Liggett Group Inc. of Brooke Group PLC - said Rogers' illness was his responsibility..- . (Other covera e available upon request~ ~ Tobacco's win mav be., V, ~ ~ No'award for smoker's widow, bU other obstac les lcw m Pno.r7SUanwN¢wsSsavicas Y~ ablydaage:-)US.' -'-decades of.-toDacco tittgatiom_:}iW. YURS-The lobacco 'H~grt~~d-tt•ecm~iDSles ei.Nedathoktintclgn n•ttcawmpa- N f~e~d~~ty~¢y 1ut won a i~espl e. nm g6otild ba..he](l resl9nsiSlf for ttlsa llfble far smoker•~ itLt~se®, ~tk'•d nRtln with e-gipa tiy ,-~~ o~~" a~ clice.: ..:: only twa.. Juriea hav f• -a w arded . ItntYlm toDkcao cot tpan:es safd damaQiito.plalttNf[6 ± naedtd'lyry vtator,', Dut ieg.l Rogtes had ciwihned to'3Rmke ,.hy tha put;.ntoit jurjr, btatnuei, a can dectided FridA1' wiiunsty ~na:aaa tp+A traa plattttli'fe tor beir :rici rw, d qas s.ttn~ akirmi.b In a tull- ty,;~ a day .d+tspita- ,put:11vat.rt and kaep fintokini:~ ~Af 14 irnd.6faduy Itt-.whrch ib ~'tletl~lts Iti.l4hictntYw ..:-Peraana3:;ininry 1,ryYFr, tttd--- t' ' t o t ct ~t g~~v;tq?art, atid jitry:cansnNanie'pntdicten th:at' (Ji F 1h n on n g~e_ s t ettden ttuu by cigsretie was iag o6.ts' .-,tha lhterna3 iubarrcv t[oi•uatt.nts ; `repttla~t.ttLrtlw•salaan~d.~ad~ver•- ~~<.ottipcmtM ttatftntped' lhbt iieaut.tosutiace AI`.t984 NIlI'. ri tt o- ~are fs an. p , for a-vtEtor h 4r thia c tei i.o: r et lls,iury rultd fot ;cigaeetle:.romT~ a 7 tl0ptl dtws pr,ard drlit.e?a(i change their potnt ui:view• They S ice tatd thet. -iurors attcr seeing the' nles fn. U~ jrridely-aakhed aue- aQnlnst tham hy a! lurt a,ury; mefnof•:wtll hola-tobaa:¢o; com a- ' t 'fhe:jury fou~ tlu';the•;compa- _ eerlter tDls~nonth ntes tespoaal6te for htaintl..ttttgr• : niea-weea nat t'eapqnB4Ule for, the l,e9exQuta potu:ed . ut that: nUtWn aboLLt ihe alletled addtrttve ceneer deatt ora amoRer: Richard thiere wa•., a: major diffr.r mce nattue of nleoti:Ie and. will helieve - Rogera•"-'' -` `be(aatt t1i.eiwa. sasrs• ' that the industrq actsto keep ATtar dElibarating -16'hou s. ..-The..lacasonvilht! a..j~iry Idtd 3moketahooked.. _,jnrors~-rejetted'six-figure clnttns -seea lnflt=mmato ::. ~ , ud. •om Rapd:widtlrv tdet the.cora, tobaoco dd;amsnts tea(int.ar the ' The imfu;trv rteniex;inrse panlea••~wete.~to:. blame (or , ta -.IliGuslry e kriowledge :of .acitine -smokin7 addictton, a.hich:began :and addithon^x<hilet ta ,nd4uap• Because thoxe dat.•kmenis will' N ~ at.age 5 and.ended.wsth h3g deathh o1L-:Jury kad:,irot i,ry =onatdtr most likely be used n+nany of {n..1Bl7af52 .,:' ..':. . ...anisbelieva-the_dpcu:•nenr>:.,brda.the.uPCOming.6ses.laaimitTs.law• V -. Tobacco dwyers aid ~2og.rs yYQniticant =mtaact ~tthe,u:';rrst y~ ~td-.the: h dwnapotir ~-~nifct y; ehose-t•t smoke, despite tv.irnlnBs. who found that. -t¢ue.kte :unpa- w+stnaitptierant -la of the potumlal riak. nks werr respot~: i.ble u, t a ". It does-t t r= t:fy v: ns ' ~ •We v ert very att ong in our smokers aditer.on - back.-' said RWhat k,Dayn.trd• 0) feelhtg that personai r,estwnaibil : llow wllt jvles t t it:•? .raore cheftmen of'the Tebt co Ytoducrs: W ity is very impartant" aaid`7ury thea:xlOl>~!dLiQ.ca+ty arsaa:[he .Ltabiltty:..pToject at teur.thenatnrn , o) forsntnt Da•id Attder:on cotimtrv rencf -f'the' aie :rlh+zd.- IA*~~':iA-hoston ,'::, 0 -..".lttaipainQ.n.•mu*eacsia'mesutt, 'to.,eethttoVtd~trce'?-. ' - ':-LawyerliYid'-the:vtd¢ict •,vould,... -kave:hadfar,gn'riter.~~~pict:.qr.eacns:.. which"souiht.at:•teast-.3424,t7n0 tn, "7 think+lte-intinstr, -cai: tEkr a.:- :damages;.;p.atnttfrs:.;lltorney C::-_nretathersritli;the~.{:fdiaual•~;its: if'the tobacco~ ndtLVCry;a,ad,lost:-: - Warren Holland.:told''jarors tiiat .,verdict bu,'th_ is~dotyiaoi arm it .'fhey.sa3d a wbt,for flie plaidt@fs° Ro`ss was`aiddictad o.cif;arettes is%.he:ettd 1Cthe-war ia'r1 t:fary would lwr,e provided"n~en greaher. . even: before the:186s .nrgeon~aten - Ae~:•onson Wishcn„tih~hril0ion-. support :for'tbe c•iew ihar jnrors'.er81'Swaxn:ng'~and-in.rr:!.nbucto.,ari+JVSt. "Iao,ihink,.tte :dti(.Udes:;.attitudeshad•ci',«ngeu bec•catsFthe _ . companiestqerb.awa.te:a::':along-.~-nf!urorsm:v.hqv~ha,tiip:' .~--:panel:-had'nG even;s.er.n keythat.theirproductb4as.••uttreason- _ l.n.mu• tobarco.itocume,tts; .