Another Defense Verdict in San Francisco

After two days of jury deliberation, counsel for Advocate Mines today handed the Brayton Purcell offices a defeat in a wrongful death mesothelioma case.  The plaintiff, Mr. Shelton, who died at 87 years of age, was alleged by his counsel to have been exposed to asbestos sold by Advocate Mines that was used to manufacture Johns Manville Transite pipes, when Mr. Shelton worked at U.C. Davis as a Building Engineer.  Apparently, however, Mr. Shelton testified in deposition that he never personally handled, cut, or otherwise disturbed any asbestos cement pipe at that U.C. Davis.  Presumably there was some evidence to cause Judge Mellon to deny the motion for non-suit brought by the defense, but that "some evidence" does not appear to have impressed the jury.

Defense verdicts in San Francisco aren't impossible, just difficult.