Bayer, maker of Monsanto’s Roundup, has been ordered to pay more than $2 billion in damages to a couple who used Roundup for about 30 years.

 
BREAKING NEWS: Bayer, maker of Monsanto’s #Roundup, has been ordered to pay more than $2 billion in damages to a couple who used Roundup for about 30 years. This is the third trial in a row that Bayer has lost over claims Roundup causes cancer.


Max Kennerly‏Verified account @MaxKennerly

Roundup is sold in the US with a surfactant banned in Europe, enabling the glyphosate to penetrate the skin and circulate into people's bones. Roundup was approved on fraudulent studies; when that was uncovered, EPA asked Monsanto to do more studies, but Monsanto refused.





Dorothy M. Atkins
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@doratki
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The $2.055 billion verdict was a win across the board for the plaintiffs. It's the third case to go to trial out of about 13,400 pending that allege Roundup causes cancer. Here's my full story:
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@doratki

Just to clarify - the jury was unanimous in their finding that Monsanto engaged in conduct with "malice, oppression or fraud" to warrant punitive damages, but they disagreed on how much should be awarded.


Dorothy M. Atkins


The jury just filed out. Some wanted to leave without being approached by the press. Some of them shook the Pilliods' hands and Alva and Alberta Pilliod both repeated "thank you, thank you, thank you..." as they walked by.


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Dorothy M. Atkins
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Two of the jurors are taking questions. They’re surrounded by attorneys and reporters. They said Monsanto’s expert Dr. Alexandra Levine was credentialed but not an expert on pesticides.




Dorothy M. Atkins
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@doratki
Monsanto’s counsel asked a juror what they wanted to hear from Monsanto.


The juror: “That roundup is completely safe. I wanted you to get up there and drink it basically.”


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Dorothy M. Atkins
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One of the jurors said he thought the punitive damages amount was too high. The other declined to comment on how they reached the $2 billion punitive damages amount.




Dorothy M. Atkins
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The jurors said the plaintiffs’ experts Dr. Dennis Weisenburger and Dr. Christopher Portier seemed more reliable than Monsanto’s Dr. Levine, because they studied pesticides and cancer.


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Dorothy M. Atkins
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I’m outside the courthouse and a group of the jurors are all walking together, which is nice to see.