Calif. Jury Finds for Defendants in Asbestos Case Filed on Behalf of Former Plasterer

LOS ANGELES –– Jurors in California have rejected asbestos claims asserted on behalf of a former plasterer, accepting defense’s contentions that the decedent’s lung cancer was caused by his extensive smoking history, sources told HarrisMartin.

Hon. Frederick C. Shaller of the California Superior Court for Los Angeles County presided over the 15-day trial, which ended on April 26 after three hours of deliberations. Jurors voted 10-2 in favor of the defendants, sources said.

The plaintiffs asserted the claims on behalf of their father, Maurice Rush.

In addition to contending that smoking caused Rush’s illness, the defendants argued that the plaintiffs …