“The jury wanted to send a statement that tobacco cannot continue to lie to the American people and the American government about the addictiveness of and the deadly chemicals in their cigarettes,” said one of the woman’s attorneys, Christopher Chestnut. Another attorney, Willie Gary, said that the lawsuit’s goal was to stop tobacco companies from targeting children and young people with their advertising Big Tobacco are accused of knowingly sold dangerous products and hid the hazards of cigarette smoking. Reynolds’ vice president and assistant general counsel, J. Jeffery Raborn, called the damages in Robinson’s case “grossly excessive and impermissible under state and constitutional law. They want the court to review the case. Attorneys for Reynolds said they would appeal. However Supreme Court refused to hear another of the companies’ appeals last year.” Reynolds American Inc. just purchased in a $25 billion deal Lorillard Tobacco Co., the country’s No. 3 cigarette maker.
