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March 17, 2008

State to file response to lead paint companies' appeal

PROVIDENCE -- Lawyers for the state are asking Rhode Island's Supreme Court to uphold a two-year-old jury verdict against three former lead paint manufacturers.

The state is expected to file court papers later today in response to the companies' appeal of the verdict, which could force the companies to spend billions of dollars to clean up hundreds of thousands of contaminated homes.

The companies say the state failed to prove that their products were responsible for poisoning children or contaminating homes. They also say the judge allowed the state to introduce inflammatory evidence.

The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear oral arguments on May 15.

Meanwhile, two public health experts are evaluating the state's proposed $2.4 billion cleanup of older properties.

Extra: Read Poisoned, the Providence Journal's series on lead paint poisonings in Rhode Island

-- The Associated Press

Posted by Brandie Jefferson  at 10:41 AM | Permalink

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