March 12, 1998 - Two of Minnesota's largest health plans say they will file a lawsuit this week against the tobacco industry to recover costs of treating smoking-related illnesses. HealthPartners and Medica Health Plans, part of Allina Health System, said Wednesday that new evidence in Minnesota's lawsuit against the tobacco industry persuaded them to take legal action now. Meanwhile, defense attorneys at the tobacco trial have asked the judge to remove himself from the case or declare a mistrial. Tobacco attorneys say Judge Kenneth Fitzpatrick has destroyed their right to a fair trial because he's biased. State's attorneys reject the defense assertions. Minnesota Public Radio Reporter Elizabeth Stawicki reports.
March 10, 1998 - Jurors in Minnesota's tobacco trial stepped back to the 1960's when cigarette companies were allowed to advertise on television. State's attorneys showed clips of Philip Morris' Marlboro Man and Reynolds' Winston ads featuring the Flintstone cartoon characters. The State and Blue Cross Blue Shield contend cigarette companies used those ads to appeal to teenagers and children. Minnesota Public Radio's Elizabeth Stawicki reports.
March 6, 1998 - The State produced memos in Minnesota's tobacco trial suggesting the nation's number two cigarette company was marketing to children as young as 14. Those memos were introduced during testimony by R.J. Reynolds CEO Andrew Schindler. The tobacco industry has long denied it markets to children. Minnesota Public Radio's Elizabeth Stawicki reports.
March 5, 1998 - The state introduced previously-hidden internal memos that show the world's largest cigarette maker was worried higher cigarette taxes would result in fewer teenagers taking up smoking. The memos were introduced during testimony by Philip Morris CEO Geoffrey Bible during Minnesota's tobacco trial. Minnesota Public Radio's Elizabeth Stawicki reports.
March 4, 1998 - The head of the nation's number one cigarette maker told jurors he's ashamed and embarassed by previously-secret company memos that detailed the smoking habits of teenagers under 18. Philip Morris CEO Geoffrey Bible is on the stand in Minnesota's tobacco trial. The tobacco industry has long denied it markets cigarettes to children. Minnesota Public Radio's Elizabeth Stawicki reports.
February 24, 1998 - Minnesota's tobacco trial has moved into critical testimony about the amount the state and Blue Cross Blue Shield say the tobacco companies owe for smoking-related illnesses. As Minnesota Public Radio's Elizabeth Stawicki reports, the testimony, while highly important, drew yawns from jurors and spectators.
February 20, 1998 - At the Minnesota tobacco trial yesterday much of the testimony centered on whether a research group started by cigarette manufacturers in the 1950s was formed to find out about the health effects of smoking or to reassure smokers. Minnesota Public Radio's Elizabeth Stawicki reports.
February 19, 1998 - In Minnesota's tobacco trial a former Philip Morris Vice President yesterday denied knowing about an industry conspiracy to suppress research into smoking and health. Helmut Wakeham testified on videotape about documents he wrote in the 1960's and 70's while he worked in research and development for Philip Morris. Minnesota Public Radio's Elizabeth Stawicki reports.
February 17, 1998 - Minnesota's tobacco trial heads into its fourth week with testimony from a former high-ranking Philip Morris research official, Thomas Osdene. Tobacco attorneys fought hard to keep out Osdene's videotape saying it would prejudice the jury. Minnesota Public Radio's Elizabeth Stawicki looks at what's ahead at the trial.
February 13, 1998 - In Minnesota 's tobacco trial the state's attorneys began playing a controversial videotape of a Philip Morris official. It's a recording which tobacco attorneys fought vigorously to keep out of the state's case saying it would bias the jury. That tape followed cross-examination of a Johns Hopkins researcher who told jurors smoking causes several kind of cancers. Minnesota Public Radio's Elizabeth Stawicki reports.