RJ Reynolds
Flora Mae Browner Vs Johns-Manville Corporation. Deposition of Max H. Crohn, Jr.
Fields
- Site
- Law
- Smoking & Health
- Author
- Crohn, M.H. Jr
- Date Loaded
- 27 Feb 1998
- Box
- Rjr4110
- Request
- Initial
- Disclosure
- Minnesota
- Letter
- Request
- 19970311
- Texas
- Disclosure
- Type
- DEPOSITION
- UCSF Legacy ID
- nmc89d00
Document Images
1 IN THE UNITED STATKS DISTRICT COURT
FOR THE NORI7IERUd DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA
FLORA MAE BROLdNER, )
)
Plaintiff, )
)
-vs- ) No. 79-0389-Sia
)
JOHNS-MANVILLE )
CORPORATION, et al. )
)
Defendants. )
)
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June 26, 1979
Winston-Salem, N. C.
10:30 a.m.
DEPOSITION
OF
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A. I spent seven nonths with a law firm in Washington practic
radio and television law. I didn't like that particularly
I became interested in antitrust law and I went with the
Federal Trade Commission as a trial attorney in March of
1963. I remained as a trial attorney for about two years
and then became assistant to the Chairman of the Federal
Trade Commission for a year. And in July of 1966, I
joined the law firm of Arnold and Porter in Washington
p~
as an associate,^ remained there until July of 1966 when
I joined Reynolds.
Q. What was your first position
A. Associate Counsel.
Q.
with Reynolds?
When did you become General Counsel?
A. I became General Counsel of Reynolds Tobacco Company in
January of this year.
Q. In the course of your duties as Associate Counsel, did you
have occasion to participate in any of the so-called
tobacco product liability suits?
A. Yes.
Q. What was your role in those suits, sir, coordinator?
A. I represented the company as in-house counsel.
Q. How many cases were tried to a jury verdict in your
tenure?
A. None.
Q. None of the cases were tried to i jury verdict?
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there a particular index of those cases at R. J. Reynolds
or do they have --
A. Yes.
Q. Okay. From your answer, perhaps I jumped to the wrong
conclusion or I misapprehend the significance of what
you said, but I take it there have been other damage suits
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personal injury damage suits in which theories were advanc d
other than that of having contracted a disease; am I
correct?
A. Yes.
Q. Would that be the so-called addiction cases?
A. No.
Q. Would you explain to me what category of cases these are?
A. There have. been cases in which people have had cigarette
ashes fall on their clothing and catch fire and have broug t
claims against the company. There have been situations
in which a filter has dislodged-from a-cigarette into the
throat of a claimant. There have been cigarette beetle
cases, larva cases ofcigarettes deteriorating particularly
in the southeast United States where cigarettes can be
attacked by cigarette beetles. There have been chewing
tobacco cases of products like pieces of wood, chicken
feathers and things like that in chewing tobacco and that
sort of case. "
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Q, Srfio manufactured the Kent ciy;lrette? ~o
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Q. A medical bibliography of articles which have addressed
the issue of whether or not tobacco is a cause of human
disease?
A. I don't know that our files can be categorized as a medica
bibliography or not.
Q. I take it from that you do have files on the alleged
medical ideological relationship between tobacco
consumption and human disease?
A. We have a number of files relating to that subject, yes.
Q. Okay. Do you know or have you ever consulted with
personally Dr. Theodore Sterling?
A.. I have never consulted with Dr. Sterling personally, no.
Q. Are you familiar with him?
A. I am.
Q. Do you know whether or not he is a consultant of R. J.
Reynolds?
A. He is not a consultant to our company as such.
Q. Is he a consultant to the Tobacco Institute?
A. I think he has, in past, provided consulting services to
the tobacco industry.
Q. Do you know whether or not R. J. Reynolds Corporation has
ever contributed directly or indirectly through the
Tobacco Institute any funding of any of the studies of
Dr. Sterling?
A. Yes.
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A?PEARAiJCES :
For the Plaintiff: Mr. Ronald L. Motley
Blatt and Fales
P. 0. Box 365
Barnwell, South Carolina 29812
For tie Defendant
Johns-tianville
Corporation:
For R. J. Reynolds
Tonacco Co.:
Exanination
Examination
Exami nation
Mr. Robert C. Clifford
Moore, Clifford, Wolfe, Larson and
Trutner, P.C.
201-19th Street
Oakland, California 94612
Mr. Malcolm T. Dungan
Brobeck, Phleger & Harrison
Spear Street Tower
One Market Plaza
San Francisco, California 94105
Mr. L'dwin J. Jacob
Jacob & Medinger
1270 1lvenue of the Americas
iVew York, New York 10020
I N D E X
Mr. Motley 4 - 24
Mr. Clifford 24
Mr. Dungan 25
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MAX H. CROHN, JR., having first affirmed, was
examined and testified as follows:
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E X A M I N A T I O N (By Mr. Motley) :
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Q. State your full nare, age, and profession for the record,
please.
A. Max H. Crohn, Jr.i age 45; I am an attorney.
Q. What is your present position with the Defendant in this
case?
A. I am General Counsel of R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company:
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also, I hold the position of Secretary.
Q. How long have you been with the corporation?
A. It will be 11 years in July of this year.
Q. Did you go_with the corporation directly out
school?
A. No.
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of law
Q. Did you go with a law firm out of law school?
A. No.
0. What wac your career before you came with the corporation?
A. Beginning with --
Q. Out of lawschool?
A. Out of law school, I clerked for a United States District
Court judae in Washington, D. C., Judge John Sirica.
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MR. MOTLEY: Off the record.
(WIIPRLUPOV, a discussion was held off the record.)
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This is the deposition of MT,x a. Cr:Uti.i, Ji:., taken
pursuant to the Federal Rule3 of Civil Procedure, by notice,
before F.omelia 11. Adams, 7lotary Public, in the offices
. of R. J. 3eynolds, 7robacco Company, Legal :)epartYer;t,
Winston-Salun, :Jortn Carolina, on the 29th day of June,
1979, bc,9inninq at approxiraatoly 10:30 a.m.
IT IS STIPUALTED At4D AGREED by and between the parties
that the signature of the Witness to the transcript of
this deposition is not waived.
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t A. I have not had any specific need to do.so; so, the answer
2 is no.
3 Q. Do those files currently exist?
4 A. Yes.
5Q. Now, none since you have been with the company have been
6 tried to a jury verdict, but I take it from your answer
7 that suits have been filed but they never have gotten to
8 a jury?
9 A. That is correct.
10 Q. Have any of them been settled or compromised?
tt A. No.
12 Q. They were dismissed at various stages of litigation for
13 various reasons?
14 A. Yes.
15 Q. How many in number would that be?
16 A. Since my joinin3 the company?
17 Q. Yes, sir,
18 A. I'm not sure precisely, but I believe that somewhere be*we n
19 20 and 30 cases I've had some contact with since my joining
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21 Q. Again, we are delinsating those suits brought by Plaintiff
22 in which it is alleged that certain diseases were contract d
23 by use of products manufactured by this corporation?
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1 A. It was called Lartigue.
2 Q. I can't spell that: Can you?
3 MR. DUNGAN: L-a-r-t-i-g-u-e.
4 Q. Was R. J. Reynolds the only Defendant 'n that case?
5 A. No.
6 Q. Was Mr. Belli the Plaintiff's attorney in that case?
7 A. Yes.
8 Q. And it was tried in the United States District Court in
9 New Orleans?
10 A. Yes.
11 Q. Are you currently a Defendant in any suits filed by Mr.
12 Belli in California?
13 A. Yes.
14 Q. Is it one individual case or is it a class action?
ls A. It is a single case against Reynolds Tobacco Company only.
16 Q. What is the style of that case, sir?
17 MR. DUNGAN: Christopher Russell Goff vs. R. J.
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19 Q. What division or district is that pending in?
20 MR. DUNGAN: The United States District Court for
21 the Northern Di3trict of California.
22 0. I believe Mr. Belli represents the Goff family?
23 A. To the best of my understanding.
24 Q. The some 20 or 30, or ever how many there might be, other Ln
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A. No.
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Q. Y.ave you consulted with any asbes*_os manufacturing compani
in regard to the allcgation that is contained in that
pleading?
A. tIo.
Q. Have you consulted with any so-called asbestos Plaintiff's
lawyers,of which I am one, in regard to the allegation
contained in that pleading?
A. No.
Q. Do you have any personal information whatsoever with
respect to any agreement, alignment, affiliation, associa-
tion, conspiracy or otherwise between Plaintiff'scounsel,
of which I am one, and asbestos manufacturers, of which
Johns-Manville is one? P7ould you repeat the question,
please?
(WHEREUPON, the Reporter read back the question
as requested.)
A. Counsel, your question is rather broad. I've gotten a lot
of information over the past few weeks from my counsel
reporting on what has occurred in California.
Q. Divorcing yourself from that, t1r. Crohn,.prior to the
filing of this pleading, did you personally have any
first-hand information on which that allegation was based?
A. No.
Q. Did you corduct an investiqation or direct that an
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filed, number one?
A. Yes.
0. Are you familiar with the allegationa that were made in
your Removal Petition with respect to some association
between Plaintiff's counsel and defense counsel, and I can
read it to you if you would like?
A. Yes.
0. Sir?
A. I am familiar with it.
Q. Did you have any personal input into the statements which
were made in the Removal Petition, in particular the one
that is quoted in the Notice of Deposition?
A. May I see it, please?
Q. Yes, sir.
(WhIEREUPON, Mr. Motley hands the
witness for his review.)
document to the
A. I was consulted by counsel with respect to the statement.
Q. All right. Mr. Crchn, was the statement based on any
information that you provided your counsel, Mr. Dunqan?
A. No.
Q. Was it based on any corporate, that is R. J. Reynolds
files that you provided Mr. Dunoan?
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IA. No.
~Q. Did you have any original information to contribute to the o
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alleaation that is contained in that pleading?
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A. That's right.
Q. Are you familiar by way of corporate folklore or review of
the files or any other way of any cases being tried to a
jury against R. J. Reynolds before you affiliated with
this corporation?
A. Would you explain, sir, what type of cases again?
Q. Tobacco product liability suits, either warranty, negligen e
or strict tort liability suits in which personal injury
damages were sought by persons who claimed that
various diseases were occasioned by their smoking
cigarettes or other tobacco products manufactured in or
distributed by R. J. Reynolds?
A. Addressing your question with respect to diseases caused, o
my knowledge, only one case has ever been tried in the his or:
ti3 Reynolds Tobacco Company.
Q. Do you know when that case was tried, sir?
A. In 1960.
Q. Do you know where it was tried?
A. In New Orleans, Louisiana.
0. Do you know for how long it was tried?
A. Over a period of weeks; I do not know specifically, no.
Q. Have you reviewed the files of
A. Not to any great extent, no.
Q. Did you attempt to familiarize
of that litigation?
that litigation?
yourself with the files
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A. I assume so, but I can't detail precisely what information
was communicated to Mr. Dungan because I was not a party
to every conversation between other counsel that represent
Reynolds and Mr. Dungan.
.Q. Do you know the sources of Mr. Dungan's information other
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than yourself?
A. I think I do.
Q. Could you elaborate those for me, please?
A. I think it's outside counsel that we have retained,
Edwin Jacob.
Q. From where?
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!tr.
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A. New York; Mr. Timothy Finnigan, Mr. Jacob's partner.
Q. Okay.
A. And Mr. Harold Schmidt.
Q. He is in Pittsburgh?
A. Pittsburgh; right. Those are the attorneys that I look to
gather information on our behalf and I believe they commun
cated with Mr. Dungan.
Q. Are any of these gentlemen, Mr. Jacob, Mr. Finnigan, or
Mr. Schmidt, a full-time employee of any tobacco industry,
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to your knowledge?
A. Of any tobacco industry.
0. Any tobacco company or the tobacco industry?
A. No.
Q. Do you know anyone in the corporate hierarchy of
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~, You do know that?
A. Yes.
0. Are there any files to reflect that?
A. Yes.
Q. Turning to --
(WhEREUPO*1, the witness speaks with Mr. Dungan.)
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MR.
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DUNGAN:
The witness was drawing my attention
fact of something of which I've been unconscioi
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the fact since you began interrogating him;
that is, that this is not a deposition of
Max H. Crohn. This is a deposition of a
,
designated representative of R. J. Reynolds
Tobacco Company on a designated subject.
MR. MOTLEY: Yes; I am going to get to that subjec
right now.
0. Is it Crohn or Crohn?
A. Crohn.
Q. That is German?
A. Yes.
Q. Mr. Crohn, there was an allegation made in a Removal
petition filed by R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company, with
which I assuTe you are familiar, in this instant case,
the Browner case?
MR. DUNGAN: What is the pending question?
Q. Are you familiar with the fact that a removal petition was
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Reynolds that might have been a source for Mr. Dungan or
his co-counsel in the allegation which appears in paragrap
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A. The only person in the corporation that would have dealt
with Mr. Dungan on the subject i.^n re.
0. To your knowledge, Mr. Dungan has not interviewed anybody
else in the corporation with reference to this particular
allegation?
A. I'm confident that he has not.
Q. So, to the extent that you pzovided him only with the
information with regard to Johns-Manville and King and
Spalding which you elaborated here?
A. That's right, and I -- that is to the best of my recollec-
tion.
Q. I understand.
. There may be some minutiae of which I have no present
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recollection, but I participated with Mr. Dungan and
others, attorneys who I have named, and in a conference
call or calls over a time, but I did not participate in
every conversation.
Do you have any recollection of any information Mr. Jacob
right have furnished to Mr. Dungan in respect to the
allegations that appear on Page 6, Lines 4 through 7?
. I cannot specifically identify any information Mr. Jacob
gave to 14r. Dungan versus what Mr. Schmidt or Mr. Finnigan
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interrogzted by 1fr. Kazan on that last
Wednesday.
A. I cannot detail for you the reports current in the asbesto
and tobacco industries and the legal profession which are e
ferenced here.
Q. So, you personally have no information to help us in that
regard?
A. (Witness nods head negatively.) The information that I go
was obtained, was given me by our attorneys that -- and I
don't have any -- as I told you earlier, I did not conduct
any independent investigation myself. I relied upon
counsel's advice as to facts that they had learned and
their information gathering process.
Q. Mr. Crohn, with respect to any reports current in the toba co
industries, I take it those reports do not, as communicate
to Mr. Dungan or your counsel, did not emanate from?
A. That is correct with the exception of the information --
0. About Johns-Manville, King and Spalding?
A. Right.
Q. Except for that, none of the information which is alleged
here emanated from you or your office?
A. That is correct.
Q. Are you privy to, whether it emanated from your office or ot,
are you privy to the information that was communicated to tr.
251 Dungan?
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A. It's manufactured by P. I7errr2urd Division of Loae-'-s, Inc.
0. Do you know, of your
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own knowledge, whether at any time
R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company employed asbestos fiber in
any filter cigarette marketed by them?
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A. No.
Q. You don't know or they didn't?
A. I don't know of my own knowledge.
Q. Well, have you seen anything; has
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anything been brought to
your attention which would reveal whether or not asbestos
filters were used in any cigarettes marketed by R. J.
Reynolds Tobacco Company?
A. To my knowledge, asbestos filters were never used by R. J.
Reynolds Tobacco Company in a filter, but that is to the
best of my knowledge.
Q. Was asbestos used in any manner, shape, or form in the
final tobacco product by R. J. Reynolds Company, to your
understanding?
. Not to my knowledge.
Q. Do you know whether asbestos containing filtering devices
are used in the tobacco product manufacturing process?
I do not believe so.
Let me ask you this question: f:as Reynolds compiled a
bibliography of ined.ia211iterature in relation to the alleged
deleterious effects of tobacco on the human body?
. A bibliography?
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investigation be conducted towards the.end of determining
whether such an association as I have described or you hav
described in that pleading existed?
A. I encouraged our attorneys to gather as much information
on this subject as possible, yes.
Q. Prior to the filing of that pleading?
A. Yes.
0. Did you participate in the acquisition of that information
A. I've only received information. I did not participate
in acquiring the information.
Q. So, would I be correct in saying that your role was one
of receipt and initiation rather than information gatherin
A. Yes. I might say there is one small point; information wa
given to me directly after I passed it on to counsel, r41'e
attempted to acquire the services of a law firm in
Atlanta when it appeared that there may be some cases
developing in the State of Georgia. We were advised by
that law firm that they could not represent us because
they had been requested not to do so by Johns-Manville.
They had represented Johns-rfanville, I was told, in
connection with some industrial bonds, not in connection
with this type of litigation. ?'onetheless, tianville
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23 ` requested that they not represent Reynolds and they did no
24 IIQ. Which firm was that, sir?
25 ;A. Y,ing and Spalding.
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suggested a relationship.
Q. This was after the fact, sir; in other
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words, Mr. McRinne~
didn't make his public statement until after this petitiorj
was filed, did he?
,A. That is correct. Those public statements are after the
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fact. Fios.ever, there had been statements by Mr. 2tcKinney
by Dr. Rotin that I was aware of through -- I don't belie e
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I ever read a deposition of Dr. Rotin, but it was reporte
to me that he, in depositions, made certain statements
that again pointed the finger to tobacco.
Q. Mr. Crohn, do you understand that Johna-Manville has only
settled in cases in which I represent Plaintiffs?
A. I have no understanding as to the extent of Johns--Manvill
settlements.
Q. Have you investigated to find out whether they have settl
with anyone other than myself, my law firm?
A. I personally have not.
Q. Do you know whether or not they settled with Mr. Belli?
A. No.
Q. Prior to the filing of this pleading, sir, did you have
any information or was any information brought to your
attention -- were you privy personally to any information
was any information brought to your attention by any sourc
btr. Jacob, Mr. Finnigan, Mr. Schmidt, anyone else, Mr.
Dungan or anyone else in the corporation which would have
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Q. Did you subsequently
A. Yes.
Q. Now, in the petition
obtain counsel in Georgia?
itself, it states, and I quote:
"Reports currently in the asbestos and tobacco industries nd
the legal profession." As the designated witness for R. J.
Reynolds, could you tell me what reports were current in
the tobacco industry or at least in respect to R. J. Reyno ds
prior to the filing of that pleading which gave rise to so e
inference on your part that such an association existed?
It might not be quoted in there, but it is in the Removal
Petition.
A. I would like to see the document to which you are
referring.
Q. Your Removal Petition is where I got it. Can you show it
to him, Mr. Dungan? It is in your Removal Petition.
W}{EREUPON, Mr. Dungan showed the document to the
witnsss.)
WHEREUPON, Mr. Clifford hands a document to Mr.
Motley.)
MR. DUNGAN: It stlrts on Page 5, Line 10 and
continues over to Page 6, Line 11.
Q. Particularly on Page 6 starting on Line 4.
MR. DUNGAN: You might just glance over that.
(WHEREUPON, the witness reviews the document.)
MR. DUNGAN: And this is signed by me and I was
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2 0. Did you believe that that settlement inspired a subsequen~
suit against the tobacco industry?
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7 A.
0.
A. No.
Did your investigation reveal where t~e law firm had
settled with any other asbestos company prior to --
1977?
Not to my knowledge) I don't recall.
in
8 IMR. MOTLEY: I have no further questions.
9 MR. CLIFFORD: I wanted to as}: a question in
10 connection with the Atlanta law firm.
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E X A M I N A T I 0 N (By Mr. Clifford) :
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13 Q. When did that take place?
14 A. Last fall, subsequent to the filing of these various
15 actions.
16 Q. Who did you speak to at King Spalding?
17 A. Mr. Kirbo.
18 Q. And subsequently, a short tine after, I take it you
19 retained other Atlanta counsel; is that correct?
20 A. We retained an attorney in Savannah.
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MR. CLIFFORD: That is the only question I
have.
MR. DUNG%N: Just one question on redirect.
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gave Mr. Dungan.
Q. Collectively, what do you recall with respect to the thre
gentlemen providing Mr. Dungan in regarding Paragraph
10, Lines 4 through 6 on Pa<re 6?
A I recall some discussions about a rumor that a meeting was
held in South Carolina.
{~ Whereabouts, do you know?
A. Myrtle Beach, I believe, at a Bar Association meeting at
which payment of a million dollars or more was paid by
Johns-Manville to yourself.
g Um-hum.
A. I recall hearing about that.
¢ Was there quid, pro, quo with respect to the tobacco I
industry as part of that?
A. There was nothing -- it had nothing to do with the tobacco
industry.
¢ All right, sir. Go ahead, anything else?
A. I was aware that an unusual document had been discovered
in California in this case wnich the Joiins-flanville joined
with Plaintiff in bringing Reynolds in'co the case which
was unusual, I though6 I was aware tnat.wnen you appeared
upon the scene in some of these asbestos cases, tobacco
companies began to become. involved and your name
appeared on this case as counsel in California, which
I thought was rather unusual since you are an attorney in
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E X A M I N A T I 0?7 (By .dr. Dungan) :
Q. Had Reynolds, before your conversation with Mr. Kirbo
last fall, had a client-attorney relationship with the
firn of Ring and Spalding?
A. Yes, for years.
MR. DUN GAN: That's all I have; thank you.
MR. MOTLEY: Off the record.
(WHEREUPON, a discussion was held off the record.)
(hTHEREUPON, the taking of the foregoing deposition
was concluded at 11:02 a.m.)
Sworn to and subscribed before me
this the 26 VX day of d, , 1979.
Notary Public
i
My Commission Expires: i1,f
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7 Q.
8 A.
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18 Q.
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25 A.
given rise to the belief on your part that, as a condition
of the settlement entered in South Carolina with Johns-
Manville and Pittsburgh Corning, that I was requested,
required or solicited to bring the tobacco industry in as
Defendants in cases in which I represented Plaintiffs?
I had a belief to that effect, yes.
What was it based on, sir?
On the circumstances, as I saw them, in terms of the timin
of how the ca-es came along, how the cases were settled
with Johns-Manville, it seemed to be an indication, a
strong indication, that there was some kind of understandi
between Johns-Manville and yourself with respect to bringi
in tobacco companies.
Mr. Crohn, has R. J. Reynolds been named as a co-defendant
in any suit in this country with the asbestos industry
other than those in which I am involved?
No.
Did your investigation reveal whether or not my firm had
settled with any Defendants other than Johns-Manville?
I think there was a case in which there was a settlement
with a company called Colville that I
heard about that
caused the Court to allow the case to he removed out of
the State Court into Federal Court.
Did that have anything to do with the tobacco companies?
No.
'/Ua 9el B>ES
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the State of South Carolina. There may have been some
other points; I just don't recall right now. I have not
gone back through the files to prepare myself for this
deposition I must say.
,Q. Now, have you heard any -- gathered any information
personally or heard any communicated to you by Mr. Jacob,
Mr. Finnigan, Mr. Schmidt or anybody else in this corpora-
tion that part of the agreement between any asbestos
Defendant and myself, representing Plaintiffs, was the
facilitation of the tobacco industry being joined as the
Defendant?
A. No, but let me add another point that occurs to me. I hav
read some public statements by the Chairman of the Soard
of Johns-Manville, a report to some security analysts in Nw
York; I've read their most recent annual report. I've read
an article in Fortune Magazine, I believe, and Mr. Mc£inne
makes constant reference to cigarettes and tobacco. It
is clear that there is a feeling in Johns-Manville,at leas
at the chief executive level, that tobacco products are t
be looked upoa as the cause of the diseases that are the
subject matter of the various cases involving Johns-
Manville. That announced position of Mr. Mcfiinney.coupled
with the information that there have been settlements in
South Carolina and your involvement in those cases, all of
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a sudden the tobacco ccTmanies coming into the cases
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