MIAMI, Nov. 25 (UPI) -- Attorneys in a tobacco suit say three companies conspired to kill a deal that would have given $10 million to flight attendants suing over second-hand smoke.
Attorneys for the flight attendants, suing over working for years on smoke-filled airplanes, say they can prove that Big Tobacco banded together to have the offered deal withdrawn.
"It is quite an outrageous circumstance that we discovered," attorney Marvin Weinstein, who represents many of the flight attendants, said. "It's the justice process they've interfered with here."
Weinstein said the tobacco company Lorillard wanted to settle the suit for $10 million in 2000 but was allegedly convinced by R.J. Reynolds, Philip Morris and Brown & Williamson to forgo the deal, The Miami Herald reported.
In exchange, Weinstein alleges, the three companies would help pay future judgments if Lorillard withdrew the settlement offer.
Weinstein said he and other lawyers in the suit have documents showing Philip Morris, R.J. Reynolds and Brown & Williamson put their offer to pay portions of future judgments against Lorillard on paper in 2001.
"They actually reduced their conspiracy to writing," Weinstein said.
He is awaiting a date he can present that and other information about the alleged backroom deal to a judge, he said.
Lorillard, R.J. Reynolds and Brown & Williamson did not return messages asking for comment, the Herald reported.
