SMOKED!

摘要

Even in this age of runaway jury verdicts, the punitive-damage awards that rang out in a hushed Miami courtroom last Friday were impressive. Against Philip Morris-$73.96 billion; R.J. Reynolds-$36.28 billion; Brown & Williamson-$17.59 billion; Lorillard-$16.25 million; Vector Group (owner of Liggett)-$790 million. By the time Circuit Court Judge Robert Kaye reached the bottom of the verdict sheet, the total had climbed to $144.8 billion. "A lot of zeros," the judge observed dryly.