Flu Virus Delays W.R. Grace Trial

The W.R. Grace & Co. criminal trial took an early recess on Wednesday after a flu virus spread throughout the jury. Three members of the fifteen person jury were afflicted with flu-like symptoms.

The Missoulian newspaper reported this development on it’s website. After the lunch break, U.S. District Judge Donald Molloy informed the lawyers that three of the jurors sitting in on this asbestos case had fallen ill with what appeared to be a stomach flu.

After the lunch break, the judge had the jury be seated. After speaking with them and surveying the appearance of the 15 jury members, the judge determined that they were truly ill.

One juror was heard to say, “I feel like I’m going to throw up.”

The judge decided that the best decision for everyone involved would be to adjourn for the afternoon.

The government’s next witness was scheduled to take the stand on Thursday morning, but that has been delayed.

The W. R. Grace trial is an ongoing federal criminal trial. At issue is whether the company and five of it’s top executives were aware that they were endangering the community of Libby, Montana by mining asbestos-laced ore. The trial is expected to last up to three months.

Many residents of the town of Libby are suffering from asbestos exposure. Miners of the town have developed asbestos-related diseases, including mesothelioma cancer, but other townspeople who had no direct contact with the mine have also become ill. The vermiculite from the Libby mine was used in products such as fireproofing and attic insulation.