Closing Arguments Expected Today in Claiborne County Silica Trial
Reports from Claiborne County are that the water is rising fast. The plaintiff lives in Vicksburg and had trouble getting to Port Gibson today because Highway 61 is closed.
As a result, Judge Pickard is pressing to get the ongoing silica trial to verdict today. The parties argued jury instructions last night after the jury left for the day. It's expected that closing arguments will be today. Perhaps even before lunch. If they don't finish soon they're going to need some canoes.
Reports are that the plaintiff's Closer Dennis Sweet is participating in the trial. It will be interesting to see how plaintiff counsel splits closing.
I suspected that Sweet would be participating despite the earlier report that Judge Pickard wasn't going to allow it. Unlike a surprise witness, a party's choice of counsel isn't something the courts concern themselves with. What would be the objection? "Judge he is just too dang good and we are going to get clobbered."
Was Sweet's paticipation disclosed during voir dire so the parties/court could obtain meaningful information as to what jurors may know him, etc.? If this was disclosed, Randy's statement make sense. If this was not disclosed, then what does this mean on appeal?
Sweet was introduced in opening statements, so it wasn't a surprise.
From the report in today's (Saturday) CL, Sweet's argument must have been pretty sour. $750,000 with only 10% apportioned to the defendant. That's not much of a verdict in Claiborne County.