Rhode Island Lead-Paint Trial Begins with Testimony from Medical Experts
PROVIDENCE, RI - Trial proceedings began in the state of Rhode Island's landmark lead-paint lawsuit against several former manufacturers of lead paint and pigments, as attorneys representing the state opened their case with testimony from medical experts about the health hazards posed by old lead-based paint.
The office of Rhode Island Attorney General Sheldon Whitehouse is asking a six-member jury to find that old lead-based paint constitutes a public nuisance. If the jury comes to that conclusion, a subsequent phase of the case will determine whether the companies must pay damages. State officials have not said how much they would seek. The trial got under way in mid-September and is expected to continue for up to nine weeks.