Month: March 2019

Monsanto relied on these ‘partners’ to attack top cancer scientists

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In a confidential public relations plan dated February 2015, Monsanto laid out is plans to discredit the World Health Organization’s cancer research unit, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). A month later, the international group of experts judged glyphosate — the key ingredient in Monsanto’s Roundup weed killer — to be probably carcinogenic … Monsanto relied on these ‘partners’ to attack top cancer scientists

Who Is Paying for Monsanto’s Crimes? We Are

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This article was originally published in The Guardian. By Carey Gillam The chickens are coming home to roost, as they say in farm country. For the second time in less than eight months a US jury has found that decades of scientific evidence demonstrates a clear cancer connection to Monsanto’s line of top-selling Roundup herbicides, … Who Is Paying for Monsanto’s Crimes? We Are

A Day With No Roundup Cancer Trials

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Both sides were taking a breather Friday as the newest Roundup cancer trial has a ‘dark’ day. After opening statements Thursday, Pilliod v. Monsanto will resume Tuesday, April 2, in Alameda County Superior Court in Oakland, California. Pilliod is part of a group of cases grouped together under the  California Roundup Judicial Council Coordination Proceedings ( … A Day With No Roundup Cancer Trials

Newsweek Gets Ad Money from Bayer, Prints Op-Eds That Help Bayer

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Newsweek failed to disclose the chemical industry connections of two opinion writers who argued today in an op-ed  that glyphosate can’t be regulated. The commentary by Henry I. Miller and Stuart Smyth, both of whom have ties to Monsanto that were not disclosed in the piece, appeared soon after a federal jury handed cancer victim … Newsweek Gets Ad Money from Bayer, Prints Op-Eds That Help Bayer

Third Roundup Cancer Trial Starts Today

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She has brain cancer, while her husband suffers from a cancer that has invaded his pelvis and spine. Both blame their long use of the popular weed-killing chemical known as Roundup, and the California married couple today get their chance to put Monsanto on trial. Alva and Alberta Pilliod, both in their 70s,   are … Third Roundup Cancer Trial Starts Today

After Beating Monsanto, Lawyers Call For Cancer Warnings On Roundup

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Watch this interview with Aimee Wagstaff and Jennifer Moore, the legal team that took down Monsanto and delivered the $80 million verdict to plaintiff Edwin Hardeman in Roundup cancer trial. (Hardeman makes appearance here too) http://facebook.com/USRightToKnow/videos/2081557148623440 …

Verdict Is In – Monsanto Must Pay Cancer Victim $80 Million

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(Transcript of today’s proceedings) (See exclusive video interview with plaintiff Edwin Hardeman and his attorneys) The second Roundup cancer trial concluded Wednesday with a unanimous jury verdict that ordered Monsanto to pay roughly $80 million in damages for failing to warn plaintiff Edwin Hardeman of the cancer risks of Roundup herbicide. The jury verdict included … Verdict Is In – Monsanto Must Pay Cancer Victim $80 Million

Monsanto Exec Reveals $17 Million Budget For Anti-IARC, Pro-Glyphosate Efforts

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How badly did Monsanto want to discredit international cancer scientists who found the company’s glyphosate herbicide to be a probable human carcinogen and promote a counter message of  glyphosate safety instead? Badly enough to allocate about $17 million for the mission, in just one year alone,  according to evidence obtained by lawyers representing cancer victims … Monsanto Exec Reveals $17 Million Budget For Anti-IARC, Pro-Glyphosate Efforts

Closing Arguments Today, Jurors To Deliberate Damages for Cancer Caused by Roundup

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(Transcript of today’s proceedings)  Lawyers for Edwin Hardeman presented their closing argument today in U.S. District Court in San Francisco, asking jurors to punish Monsanto for failing to warn about the cancer risks of its Roundup herbicide. Attorney Jennifer Moore presented the close for the plaintiff’s legal team, and Monsanto attorney Brian Stekloff made his … Closing Arguments Today, Jurors To Deliberate Damages for Cancer Caused by Roundup

Trimmed-Down Testimony as Monsanto Cancer Trial Winds Down

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(Transcript of today’s proceedings)  Lawyers for Edwin Hardeman have substantially cut down the number of witnesses and evidence to present to jurors who must decide if Monsanto and its new owner Bayer are liable for Hardeman’s development of non-Hodgkin lymphoma after years of use of Monsanto’s Roundup. They have but a few hours left allotted … Trimmed-Down Testimony as Monsanto Cancer Trial Winds Down

Weed Killer Residues Found in 98 Percent of Canadian Honey Samples

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Study is the latest evidence that glyphosate herbicides are so pervasive that residues can be found in foods not produced by farmers using glyphosate. This article was originally published in Environmental Health News. By Carey Gillam As U.S. regulators continue to dance around the issue of testing foods for residues of glyphosate weed killers, government … Weed Killer Residues Found in 98 Percent of Canadian Honey Samples

Cancer Victim Headed Back to the Stand

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( Transcript of today’s proceedings) Plaintiff Edwin Hardeman took the stand today to offer more testimony in his lawsuit against Monsanto over claims his use of the company’s Roundup herbicide caused him to develop non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Hardeman already testified in the first phase of the trial, which drew a unanimous jury verdict finding that Roundup … Cancer Victim Headed Back to the Stand

Dark Day – Lawyers and Jurors Get a Break

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Jury members and legal counsel for the parties in Hardeman V. Monsanto were taking a break on Thursday as Judge Vince Chhabria handles other calendar items, including a motion in a separate lawsuit against Monsanto. The trial resumes Friday morning, with closing arguments expected by the middle of next week. With the day off today, … Dark Day – Lawyers and Jurors Get a Break

In Roundup Cancer Trial, Now the Gloves Come Off

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(Transcript from today’s proceedings) Following Tuesdays’ jury finding that Roundup use caused plaintiff Edwin Hardeman’s cancer, the second phase of Hardeman V. Monsanto began this morning in California with a shift away from the scientific evidence and on to allegations that Monsanto has spent years suppressing information about the dangers of its glyphosate-based herbicides. While … In Roundup Cancer Trial, Now the Gloves Come Off

In Blow to Bayer, Jury Finds Roundup Caused Plaintiff’s Cancer

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(Video update) (Transcript of today’s proceedings) A unanimous jury decision on Tuesday handed a first-round victory to plaintiff Edwin Hardeman, as the six jury members found that Hardeman’s exposure to Roundup was a “substantial factor” in causing his non-Hodgkin lymphoma. The jury decision means the trial now moves into a second phase in which jurors … In Blow to Bayer, Jury Finds Roundup Caused Plaintiff’s Cancer

As Jury Deliberates, a New Study Shows Cancer Links to Glyphosate

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Jurors will continue deliberating today, while lawyers for both sides were busy preparing for a second phase in the event the jury finds for plaintiff Edwin Hardeman in this first phase. As part of the preparation, lawyers for both sides have been jockeying over many issues, including what witnesses will and will not be allowed … As Jury Deliberates, a New Study Shows Cancer Links to Glyphosate

Jurors Want to Hear From Plaintiff Again

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Today marks the beginning of the fourth week of the Hardeman V. Monsanto Roundup cancer trial, and jurors were still deliberating over the sole question that they must answer to close out the first phase of the trial and potentially move into the second phase. The six jurors let Judge Vince Chhabria know on Friday … Jurors Want to Hear From Plaintiff Again

Google Ads Raise Concerns About Geofencing

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(UPDATE 3:30 pm Pacific time- Jurors retiring for the day after failing again to reach a verdict. Testimony from plaintiff Edwin Hardeman to be read back to jurors Monday morning at their request. Judge Chhabria remains irritated with plaintiff’s attorneys, annoyed at the time it took them to arrive at court Friday afternoon.) Jurors were … Google Ads Raise Concerns About Geofencing

Trial & Jury Day Off

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Jurors have the day off today but the lawyers do not. Chhabria is holding a hearing with attorneys for both sides at 12:30 pm Pacific time to discuss the scope of the second phase, if a second phase is held. Among the issues to be discussed, plaintiff’s lawyers are renewing their request to be able … Trial & Jury Day Off

Jury Deliberating

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(Video update) (UPDATE 5:45 p.m. Pacific time – Jury has retired for the evening with no verdict. Deliberations to resume Friday.) Judge Chhabria instructed lawyers for both sides to be ready to present opening statements for the second phase of the trial today if jurors come back this morning with a verdict. The second phase … Jury Deliberating

Concerns over Judge’s Jury Instructions

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(Transcript from today’s proceedings) (UPDATE, 3 p.m. Pacific Time – Closing arguments are completed. The jury has received instructions for deliberations.) Closing arguments got underway Tuesday. With the first phase of Hardeman V. Monsanto winding down plaintiff Edwin Hardeman’s attorneys issued a strong objection to Judge Vince Chhabria’s plans for instructing the jury about how … Concerns over Judge’s Jury Instructions

Hepatitis C and… Hugh Grant?

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( See video update here) (Transcript from today’s proceeding s) Monsanto’s legal team on Monday presented testimony from Dr. Alexandra Levine, a hematologist/oncologist with City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center, seeking to convince the jury that exposure to glyphosate-based herbicides was not a cause of Hardeman’s cancer, and that a more likely factor is the … Hepatitis C and… Hugh Grant?

Phase 1 Nears End, Judge Ponders Jury Instructions

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(Transcript from today’s proceedings) Lawyers for plaintiff Edwin Hardeman rested their case on Friday, giving Monsanto a turn to put on its own witnesses in this first phase of the case. Judge Chhabria has indicated he would like to see the first phase of the trial wrapped up by early next week, and he has … Phase 1 Nears End, Judge Ponders Jury Instructions

Geoffrey Kabat’s ties to tobacco and chemical industry groups

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Geoffrey Kabat, PhD, is a cancer epidemiologist and author of two books arguing that that health hazards of pesticides, electromagnetic fields, secondhand tobacco smoke and other environmental exposures are “greatly overblown.” He is often quoted in the press as an independent expert on cancer risk. Reporters who use Dr. Kabat as a source should be … Geoffrey Kabat’s ties to tobacco and chemical industry groups

Judge Has Harsh Words for Monsanto

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Judge Vince Chhabria  issued a stinging response  to Monsanto’s motion for summary judgment on Thursday, stating in his order that there was plenty of evidence that the company’s glyphosate herbicides – namely Roundup – could have caused plaintiff Edwin Hardeman’s cancer.  “To take just one example,” the judge wrote, “the De Roos (2003) study supports … Judge Has Harsh Words for Monsanto

No Trial Today, But a Story About the Last Trial

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(UPDATE: The parties settled their litigation out of court in November 2019.) The historic win last summer of California groundskeeper Dewayne “Lee” Johnson over Monsanto and its new owner Bayer made news around the world and made some of Johnson’s attorneys virtual celebrities in legal circles, garnering them awards and international notoriety. But behind the … No Trial Today, But a Story About the Last Trial

Nearing the End of the First Phase

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(Transcript from today’s  proceedings) Expert witness for the plaintiff Dr. Dennis Weisenburger was being cross examined Wednesday by Monsanto attorneys after extensive direct testimony for cancer victim Edwin Hardeman. Hardeman’s attorneys said they were nearing the end of the first phase of presenting their case. Weisenburger, a pathologist specializing in studying the causes of non-Hodgkin … Nearing the End of the First Phase

Hardeman to Testify, Sick Juror or Not

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(Transcript from today’s proceedings) After a break in testimony Monday due to a sick juror, cancer victim Edwin Hardeman is slated to take the stand today in the ongoing Roundup cancer trial in federal court in San Francisco. His testimony is expected to take less than an hour. Judge Chhabria indicated the trial will proceed … Hardeman to Testify, Sick Juror or Not

Cancer Victim to Take the Stand (Not.)

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(Transcript from today’s proceedings) Plaintiff Edwin Hardeman was scheduled to take the stand today along with expert witness Dennis Weisenburger, professor of the Pathology Department of the City of Hope Medical Center in Omaha, Nebraska. But one juror apparently is too ill to endure the long trial day so testimony is being postponed. Weisenburger, who … Cancer Victim to Take the Stand (Not.)

Something to Chew On

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(Transcript from today’s proceedings) Here is an interesting tidbit to chew on over the weekend. In light of Judge Vince Chhabria’s unusual handling of the first Roundup cancer lawsuit to come to trial in federal court, (see previous entries for bifurcation and other background) and the vitriol with which he has been addressing plaintiff Edwin … Something to Chew On