Appellant Says Diacetyl Jury Shouldn’t Have Been Told of Illegal Immigrant Status

LOS ANGELES — The plaintiff in a diacetyl flavorings case says in appealing an unfavorable judgment that it was “highly inflammatory” and reversible error for the trial court to inform jurors of his status as an illegal immigrant.

Wilfredo Velasquez argues in his opinion brief to the California Court of Appeal, Second District, that the trial court acknowledged its error in instructing the jury that his residency status was irrelevant, but should have granted his motion for mistrial.

In December 2012, a Los Angeles County jury rejected Velasquez’s occupational injury claim and reached a verdict in favor of food products …