In reversal, judge rejects Monsanto’s request to overturn landmark case linking man’s cancer to Roundup

The high-profile legal case linking a man’s terminal cancer to Roundup has taken another twist.

The high-profile legal case linking a man’s terminal cancer to Roundup has taken another twist.

First, a jury awarded Dewayne “Lee” Johnson $289 million in damages in August, finding that Roundup was a significant contributor to his terminal cancer. Then, Monsanto sought to overturn the ruling and the judge indicated her support—but now, she has rejected the bid.

On Oct. 22, the California judge rejected the company’s calls for a new trial. Instead, she lowered the punitive damages levied against Monsanto from $250 million to $39 million. If Monsanto does not accept the new amount, the judge will call for a new trial.

“I hope [Monsanto] gets the message that people in America and across the world are not ignorant,” said Johnson. “I’m hoping that it snowballs and people really get the picture and they start to make decisions about what they eat [and] what they spray in their farms.” 

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Photo Caption: A judge recently rejected Monsanto’s bid to overturn the landmark court ruling linking a man’s cancer to Roundup.

Photo Credit: NBC Bay Area