Why does the tobacco industry want immunity …and from what?
The question of immunity is a thorny one. When Big Tobacco came to the negotiating table, the first thing they asked for was immunity from criminal prosecution. That was not an issue the States Attorneys General had the authority to negotiate. The industry also wanted to prevent other “third parties” from suing them, including insurance firms. The June 20, 1997 settlement dealt with the following issues: (i) Class Action: Pending class actions suits would be “settled” No new class action lawsuits for past grievance would be allowed. This includes insurance groups, restaurant workers, bartenders and the federal government. Individuals may still sue. But Dick Daynard, Professor of Law at Northeastern University, told FRONTLINE that tobacco has never lost an individual case because juries have generally felt that individuals were aware of the dangers of smoking. Attorney Ron Motley said, “There hasn’t been a single individual suit against the cigarette companies that has given the victims
