Grand jury hears fen-phen testimony

LEXINGTON, Ky., March 24 (UPI) -- A federal grand jury in Kentucky this week took testimony alleging lawyers skimmed millions of dollars in a fen-phen diet drug case settlement.

"It enrages me," said Sonja Pickett, a plaintiff who testified Thursday before the federal panel in Lexington, Ky. "They robbed us."

Attorneys for William J. Gallion and Shirley A. Cunningham Jr., two of the lawyers who handled the settlement, said in court papers their clients had been told by federal prosecutors they were targets of the probe, The New York Times said Saturday. James A. Shuffett, who represents the third lawyer, Melbourne Mills Jr., said "you can assume" his client also received a target letter and he would not be surprised if his client was indicted.

"Mills denies any criminal wrongdoing," Shuffett said. "He may be liable for a little money if he was overpaid." Lawyers for Mr. Gallion and Mr. Cunningham did not respond to requests for comment, the newspaper said.

The $200 million settlement came in 2001 in a case brought by 440 plaintiffs against American Home Products Corp. The clients received $74 million while $20 million went to a "charitable fund" and the remaining $106 million went to attorneys.