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Attorneys general, industry wrestle with immunity issue
May 5, 1997
Web posted at: 6:48 p.m. EDT (2248 GMT)
DALLAS (CNN) -- Tobacco company officials met in Dallas Monday to continue negotiations with the state attorneys general who brought suit against the industry to recover health costs attributed to smoking-related illnesses.
Several of the attorneys general said they were not disturbed by a verdict in Florida Monday afternoon that found R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company was not legally responsible for the death of a heavy smoker.
"We are not at all discouraged," said Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller. He said the attorneys general would have preferred the Florida jury had ruled against R.J. Reynolds but will press ahead with their suits.
On Monday, key negotiator Mississippi Attorney General Mike Moore and a group of attorneys general huddled together at one site, while lawyers for the tobacco industry met in another building. Talks are expected to continue over the next two days.
The attorneys general are also scheduled to meet with several health groups who are parties to the talks.
The tobacco industry is said to be willing to accept curbs and pay out billions of dollars in exchange for at least partial immunity from suits by tobacco consumers.
The attorneys general are united in the stance that any settlement not grant total immunity from all future lawsuits.
Meeting with reporters before the talks began, Moore was asked if the tobacco companies had given up on the idea of total immunity.
"These guys don't give up on anything, but we're making progress on that issue," he said.
Reuters contributed to this report.
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