Sick Smokers Celebrate Fla. Victory Quietly July 17, 2000
News Summary
The three people who represented all sick smokers in the state of Florida celebrated the jury's $145 billion punitive damages judgment against the tobacco industry will little fanfare, Reuters reported July 14.The lawsuit's representatives, Frank Amodeo, Mary Jo Farnan and Ralph Della Vecchia, said no amount of money could ease the pain caused by cigarettes. They said the verdict would help expose the deceit of cigarette makers.
"They lie and cheat. I dislike them very much. They haven't paid a penny in 50 years. That's ridiculous," said Della Vecchia, whose wife Angie, the third class representative, died of lung cancer last year.
Farnan said the judgment should send a strong anti-smoking message. "The truth is out there now," she said "And I hope the whole public in the United States sees it and everybody gets together and keeps kids from starting to smoke. It's the worst disease in the world and I can tell you that three times over."
The three won the largest punitive damages verdict in U.S. history. But Amodeo stated, "It's about justice."
An estimated 500,000 smokers in Florida were represented in the lawsuit.
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