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Philip Morris Must Pay $150 Mln in Smoker's Death (Update4) 

Philip Morris Cos. is liable in an Oregon smoker's cancer death and must pay the victim's relatives more than $150 million, a state-court jury found, extending the tobacco industry's West Coast losing streak.

The lawsuit tested a new legal approach, with claims that the world's biggest tobacco company lied to smokers about the health risks associated with low-tar products. . .

``The tragedy is that people, instead of quitting, try low- tar cigarettes,'' said Lawrence Wobbrock, an attorney for Schwarz. ``Low-tar cigarettes are a fraud. They don't provide a health benefit.'' . .

``We wanted to make a statement,'' said Lowell McVicker, the jury foreman. ``It was a compromise that we all thought we could live with.'' . .

Philip Morris said it would ask Judge Roosevelt Robinson to set aside the verdict, and then appeal. . .

``Even if the jury believed Philip Morris U.S.A. was liable for punitive damages, there must be some reasonable relationship between the compensatory damage and punitive damage amounts,'' said William Ohlemeyer, Philip Morris' vice president and associate general counsel. ``Clearly, that hasn't happened in this case.''

While company lawyers contended she disregarded warnings, Wobbrock said that Schwarz wasn't blameless.

``Michelle Schwarz acknowledged some responsibility,'' Wobbrock said. ``Philip Morris never acknowledged any responsibility.''

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The tragedy is that people, instead of quitting, try low- tar cigarettes. Low-tar cigarettes are a fraud. They don't provide a health benefit.
Schwarz attorney Lawrence Wobbrock. McQuillen, W.