Betty Ellis v. R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company, et al.

Summary

In this Engle Progeny proceeding, Plaintiff Betty Ellis alleged R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company of fraudulent concealment of the dangers of smoking cigarettes manufactured by the company which led her husband Sunny Ellis to get addicted to smoking and resulted in his death from Lung Cancer.
The plaintiff was represented by attorneys William Norton, James Gustafson and David Sales. The defendants in this case, R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company and others were represented by attorneys W. Ray Persons, Christopher Kreiner and Nathan Guest.

Outcome

Verdict for the defense

Case Information

Attorneys

Witnesses

Plaintiff: Ellis, Betty
Defense: R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co.

Judge: John Cooper
Jurisdiction: 2nd Judicial Circuit of Florida
Court: Leon County Courthouse

Case Number: 2007 CA 003623
Industry: Tobacco
Practice Area: Tobacco

Plaintiff

Ellis, Betty

Defense

R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co.

Expert Witnesses

Lay Witnesses

Sessions

Attorney

Witness

Type

Description

PM Session

Openings

6 Chapters

	Description	Attorney
00:00:00	General Case Activities
00:20:20	Closing Statement	Gustafson, James
01:33:38	Break
01:57:13	General Case Activities
01:59:14	Opening Statement	Persons, W. Ray
02:48:44	End of Session

FEB

AM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

9 Chapters

PM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

10 Chapters

FEB

AM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

8 Chapters

PM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

12 Chapters

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:00	Witness Cross Examination	Persons, W. Ray	Cummings, Dr. Kenneth "Michael" Ph.D.	In Person
00:50:22	Break
01:14:09	General Case Activities
01:16:57	Witness Cross Examination	Persons, W. Ray	Cummings, Dr. Kenneth "Michael" Ph.D.	In Person
02:05:04	Witness Re-Direct Examination	Sales, David	Cummings, Dr. Kenneth "Michael" Ph.D.	In Person
02:34:33	Witness Re-Cross Examination	Persons, W. Ray	Cummings, Dr. Kenneth "Michael" Ph.D.	In Person
02:35:20	Break
02:50:11	General Case Activities
02:55:09	General Case Activities		Cummings, Dr. Kenneth "Michael" Ph.D.	In Person
03:01:18	Witness Direct Examination	Norton, William	Sheedy, Dr. James M.D.	In Person
03:41:37	Witness Cross Examination	Guest, Nathan	Sheedy, Dr. James M.D.	In Person
03:53:45	End of Session

FEB

AM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

9 Chapters

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:00	Witness Cross Examination	Guest, Nathan	Sheedy, Dr. James M.D.	In Person
00:22:26	Witness Re-Direct Examination	Norton, William	Sheedy, Dr. James M.D.	In Person
00:31:01	General Case Activities		Sheedy, Dr. James M.D.	In Person
00:50:41	General Case Activities
01:01:03	Witness Direct Examination	Gustafson, James	Burns, Dr. David , M.D.	In Person
01:20:36	Break
01:46:05	General Case Activities
01:57:04	Witness Direct Examination	Gustafson, James	Burns, Dr. David , M.D.	In Person
02:56:28	End of Session

PM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

6 Chapters

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:00	Witness Direct Examination	Gustafson, James	Burns, Dr. David , M.D.	In Person
01:05:29	Break
01:31:03	Witness Direct Examination	Gustafson, James	Burns, Dr. David , M.D.	In Person
02:40:25	Break
02:56:13	Witness Cross Examination	Kreiner, Christopher	Burns, Dr. David , M.D.	In Person
03:45:02	End of Session

FEB

AM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

8 Chapters

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:00	Witness Cross Examination	Kreiner, Christopher	Burns, Dr. David , M.D.	In Person
00:51:59	Witness Re-Direct Examination	Gustafson, James	Burns, Dr. David , M.D.	In Person
01:28:11	General Case Activities		Burns, Dr. David , M.D.	In Person
01:35:36	Break
02:01:24	General Case Activities
02:25:25	Witness Direct Examination	Gustafson, James	Martin, Martha	Transcript Reading
02:44:47	Witness Direct Examination	Gustafson, James	Dukes, Martha	Transcript Reading
02:59:54	End of Session

PM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

12 Chapters

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:00	Witness Direct Examination	Gustafson, James	Harrison, Sally	Transcript Reading
00:16:36	Witness Direct Examination	Gustafson, James	Dixon, Barbara	Transcript Reading
00:52:03	Break
01:19:32	General Case Activities
01:40:12	Witness Direct Examination	Gustafson, James	Heyman, Dr. Robert	Video Recording
01:48:45	Witness Direct Examination	Gustafson, James	Johnston, James "Jim"	Transcript Reading
01:50:51	Witness Direct Examination	Gustafson, James	Figlar, Dr. James Ph.D.	Transcript Reading
01:55:24	Break
02:05:31	General Case Activities
02:06:09	Witness Direct Examination	Gustafson, James	Harvey, Richard	Transcript Reading
02:41:39	General Case Activities
03:08:13	End of Session

FEB

AM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

9 Chapters

PM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

10 Chapters

FEB

AM Session

Defense Witness(es)

9 Chapters

PM Session

Defense Witness(es)

7 Chapters

FEB

AM Session

Defense Witness(es)

8 Chapters

PM Session

Defense Witness(es)

12 Chapters

FEB

AM Session

Closings

8 Chapters

PM Session

Closings

6 Chapters

PM Session

Other

2 Chapters

PM Session

Verdict

4 Chapters

FEB

Recording Disclaimer: This proceeding was recorded in full.

Betty Ellis v. R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company, et al.

Summary

Outcome

Sessions

Suggest a Trial

CVN Essentials

Video Library

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:00	General Case Activities
00:19:32	Break
00:40:19	General Case Activities
00:53:24	Opening Statement	Persons, W. Ray
01:23:27	Witness Direct Examination	Sales, David	Cummings, Dr. Kenneth "Michael" Ph.D.	In Person
01:55:59	Break
02:19:50	General Case Activities
02:24:02	Witness Direct Examination	Sales, David	Cummings, Dr. Kenneth "Michael" Ph.D.	In Person
03:16:08	End of Session

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:00	General Case Activities
00:03:24	Witness Direct Examination	Sales, David	Cummings, Dr. Kenneth "Michael" Ph.D.	In Person
01:18:29	Break
01:55:39	Witness Direct Examination	Sales, David	Cummings, Dr. Kenneth "Michael" Ph.D.	In Person
03:00:32	Break
03:14:48	Witness Direct Examination	Sales, David	Cummings, Dr. Kenneth "Michael" Ph.D.	In Person
03:27:10	Break
03:38:51	Witness Direct Examination	Sales, David	Cummings, Dr. Kenneth "Michael" Ph.D.	In Person
03:54:30	General Case Activities
03:57:31	End of Session

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:00	General Case Activities
00:29:26	Witness Direct Examination	Sales, David	Cummings, Dr. Kenneth "Michael" Ph.D.	In Person
01:30:19	Break
01:53:14	General Case Activities
01:55:37	Witness Cross Examination	Persons, W. Ray	Cummings, Dr. Kenneth "Michael" Ph.D.	Other
02:44:21	Break
02:57:18	Witness Cross Examination	Persons, W. Ray	Cummings, Dr. Kenneth "Michael" Ph.D.	In Person
03:07:52	End of Session

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:00	General Case Activities
00:03:37	Witness Direct Examination	Norton, William	Ellis, Betty	In Person
01:12:16	Break
01:43:25	Witness Direct Examination	Norton, William	Ellis, Betty	In Person
01:56:05	Witness Cross Examination	Persons, W. Ray	Ellis, Betty	In Person
02:10:00	Break
02:26:29	Witness Cross Examination	Persons, W. Ray	Ellis, Betty	In Person
02:55:25	Witness Re-Direct Examination	Norton, William	Ellis, Betty	In Person
02:56:58	End of Session

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:00	General Case Activities
00:03:33	Witness Direct Examination	Norton, William	McCoy, Dr. Terrence	In Person
00:24:50	Witness Cross Examination	Guest, Nathan	McCoy, Dr. Terrence	In Person
00:40:38	Witness Re-Direct Examination	Norton, William	McCoy, Dr. Terrence	In Person
00:46:25	General Case Activities		McCoy, Dr. Terrence	In Person
00:56:05	General Case Activities
01:02:03	Break
01:26:21	General Case Activities
01:48:20	General Case Activities
01:50:24	End of Session

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:00	General Case Activities
00:04:36	Witness Direct Examination	Kreiner, Christopher	Jaffe, Dr. Adam	In Person
00:51:47	General Case Activities
00:59:36	Break
01:22:48	General Case Activities
01:24:02	Witness Direct Examination	Kreiner, Christopher	Jaffe, Dr. Adam	In Person
02:01:41	Break
02:28:24	Witness Direct Examination	Kreiner, Christopher	Jaffe, Dr. Adam	In Person
02:47:36	End of Session

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:00	General Case Activities
00:10:53	Witness Direct Examination	Kreiner, Christopher	Jaffe, Dr. Adam	In Person
01:12:40	Break
01:39:22	Witness Cross Examination	Sales, David	Jaffe, Dr. Adam	In Person
03:05:56	Break
03:24:30	Witness Cross Examination	Sales, David	Jaffe, Dr. Adam	In Person
03:53:46	End of Session

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:00	General Case Activities
00:13:17	Witness Cross Examination	Sales, David	Jaffe, Dr. Adam	In Person
01:33:45	Break
01:59:47	Witness Cross Examination	Sales, David	Jaffe, Dr. Adam	In Person
02:14:04	Witness Re-Direct Examination	Kreiner, Christopher	Jaffe, Dr. Adam	In Person
02:46:25	Break
02:59:58	General Case Activities
03:01:18	End of Session

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:00	General Case Activities
00:10:38	Witness Direct Examination	Persons, W. Ray	Okun, Dr. David M.D.	In Person
01:17:20	Break
01:32:47	General Case Activities
01:50:41	Witness Cross Examination	Sales, David	Okun, Dr. David M.D.	In Person
02:52:46	Break
03:20:21	General Case Activities
03:21:52	Witness Cross Examination	Sales, David	Okun, Dr. David M.D.	In Person
03:33:00	Witness Re-Direct Examination	Persons, W. Ray	Okun, Dr. David M.D.	In Person
03:38:57	General Case Activities		Okun, Dr. David M.D.	In Person
03:49:41	General Case Activities		Jaffe, Dr. Adam	In Person
04:02:16	End of Session

	Description	Attorney
00:00:00	General Case Activities
00:36:01	General Case Activities
00:39:25	General Case Activities
01:08:17	Closing Statement	Gustafson, James
01:55:23	Break
02:17:06	General Case Activities
02:20:51	Closing Statement	Gustafson, James
03:05:06	End of Session

			Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
		00:00:00	General Case Activities
		00:01:17	Reading of the Verdict
		00:01:33	General Case Activities
		00:06:28	End of Session