Jurors Accept John Crane, Hill Bros. Chemical's Product ID Arguments

LOS ANGELES -- A California jury has reached a verdict in favor of defendants John Crane Inc. and Hill Bros. Chemical Co., concluding that the plaintiff had failed to prove that he was exposed to asbestos fibers from the defendants' products. Duncan v. 3M Manufacturing, et al., No. BC419624 (Calif. Super. Ct., Los Angeles Cty.).

Judge John Shepard Wiley Jr. of the California Superior Court for Los Angeles County presided over the trial, which ended on April 29.

Charles Duncan brought the claims, contending that his three-year service in the U.S. Navy -- where he worked as a fireman's …