Dixon v. R.J. Reynolds

Summary

In this tobacco case, plaintiff claims defendant concealed the dangers of smoking, leading to addiction and disease.

Outcome

VERDICT - Phase 1: PLAINTIFF
% fault RJR - 58%, plaintiff - 42%.
Damages: Frances $1.3 million.
Tyrone Jr - $350k.
Bianca - $350 k.

PUNITIVES - Phase 2 - YES

MISTRIAL of Phase 2 - to be retried at a later date TBD

Attorneys Battle Over RJR's Role in Smoker's Death, as Trial Begins
Aug 9, 2018

Jury Slaps RJR With $13.5M Punitive Verdict at Trial Over Smoker's Fatal Throat Cancer
Feb 8, 2019

Case Information

Attorneys

Witnesses

Plaintiff: Bessent-Dixon, Frances
Defense: R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co.
Verdict: $2,000,000

Judge: Donna Keim
Jurisdiction: 8th Judicial Circuit of Florida
Court: Alachua Family / Civil Justice Center

Case Number: 2015-CA-002554
Industry: Tobacco
Practice Area: Tobacco

Plaintiff

Bessent-Dixon, Frances

Defense

R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co.

Expert Witnesses

Lay Witnesses

Sessions

Attorney

Witness

Type

Description

PM Session

Openings

7 Chapters

	Description	Attorney
00:00:00	General Case Activities
00:13:39	Break
00:36:34	Opening Statement	Avera, Mark
01:57:07	Break
02:08:32	Opening Statement	Persons, W. Ray
02:40:17	Opening Statement	Green, Philip
03:28:44	End of Session

AUG

AM Session

Openings

5 Chapters

PM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

5 Chapters

AUG

AM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

6 Chapters

PM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

7 Chapters

AUG

AM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

8 Chapters

PM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

4 Chapters

AUG

AM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

10 Chapters

PM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

6 Chapters

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:00	Witness Direct Examination	Smith, Rodney	Hurt, Dr. Richard M.D.	In Person
01:35:16	Break
01:54:33	Witness Direct Examination	Smith, Rodney	Hurt, Dr. Richard M.D.	In Person
02:45:43	Witness Cross Examination	Green, Philip	Hurt, Dr. Richard M.D.	In Person
02:45:43	Witness Re-Direct Examination	Smith, Rodney	Hurt, Dr. Richard M.D.	In Person
03:44:22	End of Session

AUG

AM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

11 Chapters

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:00	Witness Direct Examination	Smith, Rodney	Harris, Michael	In Person
00:18:42	Witness Cross Examination	Persons, W. Ray	Harris, Michael	In Person
00:34:42	Witness Re-Direct Examination	Smith, Rodney	Harris, Michael	In Person
00:38:32	Witness Direct Examination		Larkins, Alicia	In Person
01:03:57	Witness Cross Examination	Persons, W. Ray	Larkins, Alicia	In Person
01:11:37	Witness Re-Direct Examination	Smith, Rodney	Larkins, Alicia	In Person
01:17:00	Break
01:34:18	Witness Direct Examination	Vallejos-Nichols, Dawn	Dixon, Bianca	In Person
01:52:27	Witness Direct Examination	Avera, Mark	Bessent-Dixon, Frances	In Person
02:43:57	Witness Cross Examination	Persons, W. Ray	Bessent-Dixon, Frances	In Person
03:04:21	End of Session

PM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

9 Chapters

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:00	Witness Re-Direct Examination	Avera, Mark	Bessent-Dixon, Frances	In Person
00:05:55	General Case Activities
00:20:41	Witness Direct Examination		Jones, Waymon	Transcript Reading
01:34:33	Break
01:46:30	General Case Activities
01:53:17	Witness Direct Examination	Green, Philip	Ford, Dr. William M.D	In Person
02:56:25	Witness Cross Examination	Whitman, Joshua	Ford, Dr. William M.D	In Person
04:10:25	Witness Re-Direct Examination	Green, Philip	Ford, Dr. William M.D	In Person
04:20:01	End of Session

AUG

AM Session

Defense Witness(es)

6 Chapters

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:00	Witness Direct Examination	Avera, Mark	Raffa, Dr. Frederick PhD	In Person
00:25:30	Witness Direct Examination	Green, Philip	Abramson, Dr. Jack MD, FAPA	In Person
01:18:53	Break
01:36:46	Witness Direct Examination	Green, Philip	Abramson, Dr. Jack MD, FAPA	In Person
02:09:45	Witness Cross Examination	Avera, Mark	Abramson, Dr. Jack MD, FAPA	In Person
02:49:06	End of Session

PM Session

Defense Witness(es)

8 Chapters

AUG

AM Session

Closings

9 Chapters

PM Session

Verdict

2 Chapters

AUG

AM Session

Openings - Damages

8 Chapters

PM Session

Verdict - Damages

2 Chapters

AUG

Recording Disclaimer: This proceeding was recorded in full.

Dixon v. R.J. Reynolds

Summary

Outcome

Sessions

Suggest a Trial

CVN Essentials

Video Library

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:00	General Case Activities
00:18:55	Witness Direct Examination	Smith, Rodney	Cummings, Dr. Kenneth "Michael" Ph.D.	In Person
01:31:18	Break
01:47:30	Witness Direct Examination	Smith, Rodney	Cummings, Dr. Kenneth "Michael" Ph.D.	In Person
02:59:41	Break

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:00	General Case Activities
00:07:00	Witness Direct Examination	Smith, Rodney	Cummings, Dr. Kenneth "Michael" Ph.D.	In Person
01:55:09	Break
02:12:13	Witness Direct Examination	Smith, Rodney	Cummings, Dr. Kenneth "Michael" Ph.D.	In Person
04:03:08	End of Session

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:00	General Case Activities
00:14:04	Witness Direct Examination	Smith, Rodney	Cummings, Dr. Kenneth "Michael" Ph.D.	In Person
01:39:34	Break
01:58:49	General Case Activities
02:07:19	Witness Direct Examination	Smith, Rodney	Cummings, Dr. Kenneth "Michael" Ph.D.	In Person
03:08:37	End of Session

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:00	General Case Activities
00:14:05	Witness Direct Examination	Smith, Rodney	Cummings, Dr. Kenneth "Michael" Ph.D.	In Person
01:36:15	Witness Cross Examination	Persons, W. Ray	Cummings, Dr. Kenneth "Michael" Ph.D.	In Person
02:24:40	Break
02:45:11	Witness Cross Examination	Persons, W. Ray	Cummings, Dr. Kenneth "Michael" Ph.D.	In Person
04:14:49	General Case Activities
04:46:53	End of Session

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:00	General Case Activities
00:19:58	Witness Cross Examination	Persons, W. Ray	Cummings, Dr. Kenneth "Michael" Ph.D.	In Person
00:42:45	Witness Re-Direct Examination	Smith, Rodney	Cummings, Dr. Kenneth "Michael" Ph.D.	In Person
01:32:52	Break
01:47:43	Witness Direct Examination		Mendenhall, Dr. William MD	Transcript Reading
02:29:29	Witness Direct Examination		Rodgers, Dr. Lawrence JR, MD	Transcript Reading
03:39:10	General Case Activities
04:29:13	End of Session

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:00	General Case Activities
00:04:35	Witness Direct Examination	Smith, Rodney	Riggs, Dr. Charles Jr., M.D.	In Person
01:18:06	Break
01:19:40	General Case Activities
01:23:34	Break
01:30:55	Witness Direct Examination	Smith, Rodney	Riggs, Dr. Charles Jr., M.D.	In Person
01:37:10	Witness Cross Examination	Green, Philip	Riggs, Dr. Charles Jr., M.D.	In Person
02:18:10	Witness Re-Direct Examination	Smith, Rodney	Riggs, Dr. Charles Jr., M.D.	In Person
02:27:55	Witness Direct Examination	Smith, Rodney	Hurt, Dr. Richard M.D.	In Person
02:56:27	End of Session

	Description	Attorney
00:00:00	General Case Activities
00:25:02	Closing Statement	Smith, Rodney
01:07:51	Closing Statement	Avera, Mark
01:23:44	Break
01:35:46	Closing Statement	Green, Philip
02:15:14	Closing Statement	Persons, W. Ray
02:58:00	Closing Statement	Smith, Rodney
03:34:54	General Case Activities
03:48:47	End of Session