http://www.tobacco.org/newsfeed/lawsuit/beckett.rss Latest top tobacco news headlines en-us http://gr.mlive.com/news/index.ssf?/news/stories/19990714tobacco1101803.frm http://tobacco.org/news/24364.html Brown & Williamson Tobacco Corp. is denying that its cigarettes led to the death of a Kent County woman who smoked Pall Malls for decades. And even if the cigarettes can be linked to her health, Mary Beckett "voluntarily exposed" herself to the risk, the company said in response to a lawsuit that seeks $14.25 million. Beckett, 69, died in 1996 after suffering a chronic lung disease tied to emphysema. She lived in Grand Rapids Township. In a lawsuit, four sons and a daughter said her death was caused "solely by the negligence" of Brown & Williamson. Grand Rapids Press Wed, 14 Jul 1999 04:00:00 GMT http://gr.mlive.com/news/index.ssf?/news/stories/smoking1121304.frm http://tobacco.org/news/19586.html The family of a Kent County woman who smoked Pall Mall cigarettes for decades is seeking $14.25 million from a tobacco company, claiming it concealed the dangers of smoking and is responsible for her death. Mary Beckett, whose last address was in Grand Rapids Township, died in March 1996 at age 69 after suffering a chronic lung disease linked to emphysema, according to her death certificate. . . The five plaintiffs include a son and daughter who live in Kent County, Kathy Higgins and Russell Beckett. The others are sons who live in Texas: John Campbell, Thomas Campbell and Henry "Frank" Campbell. Their attorney, Raymond McElfish of New York, said John and Thomas Campbell asked him to take the case. Family members don't want to talk about the lawsuit until they get together in a few weeks, said McElfish, who also declined comment Monday. The suit, assigned to Chief Circuit Judge Dennis Kolenda, seeks $4 million for Beckett's pain and suffering and her "wrongful death;" $250,000 for medical expenses and burial costs; and $10 million for the tobacco company's "egregious" conduct. Grand Rapids Press Tue, 13 Apr 1999 04:00:00 GMT