Recht
WHEELING (Legal Newsline) - The trial of more than 700 West Virginia claims against the tobacco industry ended in a mistrial Tuesday.
Ohio Circuit Court Judge Arthur Recht was presiding over the trial, in which the plaintiffs alleged harm caused by Philip Morris Tobacco, R.J. Reynolds Tobacco and Lorillard. The three hid the addiction capabilities of cigarettes, the plaintiffs allege, and Courtroom View Network was broadcasting the trial online.
CVN researcher David Siegel said the defendants objected to a piece of evidence the plaintiffs wanted to introduce. Apparently, he said, the plaintiffs could not proceed without it.
The mistrial ended the first of two trials. It was to determine if the companies are liable for injuries and deaths caused by smoking, and the second would have determined the amount of damages in each individual case.
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