The Alabama Supreme Court ordered a halt to settlement talks in a lawsuit against Solutia, Inc., Monsanto Co. and Pharmacia Corp. after a judge threatened to jail company executives, it was reported o…
The Alabama Supreme Court ordered a halt to settlement talks in a lawsuit against Solutia, Inc., Monsanto Co. and Pharmacia Corp. after a judge threatened to jail company executives, it was reported on 14 March. When company lawyers complained they were being unfairly pressured into a settlement, the state circuit judge summoned sheriff deputies and suggested the executives might be jailed for not demonstrating good faith in the talks. The case now will go back to a jury. In February, an Alabama jury ruled against Monsanto and Solutia in a case seeking to repay property damages resulting from production of dangerous chemicals several decades ago. Monsanto, which spun-off its Solutia chemicals business in 1997, produced polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in Anniston, Alabama between 1935 to 1971. In March 2000, what remained of Monsanto after the Solutia spin-off merged with Pharmacia. PCBs are believed to be responsible for causing multiple types of skin ailments, reproductive disorders, liver disease, cancers, cerebral palsy and other diseases. The jury will determine how much in damages to award 17 plaintiffs.