$280 billions tobacco trial under way
America's largest tobacco companies are accused of lying about the effects of smoking over a 50-year period as a government lawsuit gets under way.
The case "is about a 50-year pattern of misrepresentation, half-truths and lies", US Justice Department lawyer Frank Marine said in opening comments.
Among the accused are Altria Group and RJ Reynolds Tobacco.
The $280bn lawsuit - filed by the Clinton administration in 1999 - is expected to conclude in six months.
Prosecutors want the cigarette firms to surrender $280bn in profits accumulated over the past 50 years and impose tougher rules on marketing their products.
"The government's case against the tobacco industry is an important effort to prevent fraudulent activity and uphold corporate integrity," US Attorney General John Ashcroft said in a statement on Tuesday.
Lawyers for the cigarette companies are scheduled to make their response to US District Judge Gladys Kessler on Wednesday.
'Massive fraud'
In its lawsuit, the government claims tobacco firms manipulated nicotine levels to increase addiction, targeted teenagers with multi-billion dollar advertising campaigns, lied about the dangers of smoking and ignored research to the contrary.
A 1953 meeting in New York attended by executives from the country's top five cigarette makers resulted in a "massive 50-year scheme to defraud the public", the lawsuit claims.
BBC News
The case "is about a 50-year pattern of misrepresentation, half-truths and lies", US Justice Department lawyer Frank Marine said in opening comments.
Among the accused are Altria Group and RJ Reynolds Tobacco.
The $280bn lawsuit - filed by the Clinton administration in 1999 - is expected to conclude in six months.
Prosecutors want the cigarette firms to surrender $280bn in profits accumulated over the past 50 years and impose tougher rules on marketing their products.
"The government's case against the tobacco industry is an important effort to prevent fraudulent activity and uphold corporate integrity," US Attorney General John Ashcroft said in a statement on Tuesday.
Lawyers for the cigarette companies are scheduled to make their response to US District Judge Gladys Kessler on Wednesday.
'Massive fraud'
In its lawsuit, the government claims tobacco firms manipulated nicotine levels to increase addiction, targeted teenagers with multi-billion dollar advertising campaigns, lied about the dangers of smoking and ignored research to the contrary.
A 1953 meeting in New York attended by executives from the country's top five cigarette makers resulted in a "massive 50-year scheme to defraud the public", the lawsuit claims.
BBC News
posted by das at 1:33 AM
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