Law.com - Federal Judge Rules Tobacco Firms Deceived Smokers and Violated Racketeering Laws: "Federal Judge Rules Tobacco Firms Deceived Smokers and Violated Racketeering Laws
The Associated Press
August 18, 2006
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A federal judge ruled Thursday that the nation's top cigarette makers violated racketeering laws, deceiving the public for years about the health hazards of smoking, but said she couldn't order them to pay the billions of dollars the government had sought.
Judge Gladys Kessler of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia did order the companies to publish in newspapers and on their Web sites 'corrective statements' on the adverse health effects and addictiveness of smoking and nicotine.
She also ordered tobacco companies to stop labeling cigarettes as 'low tar,' 'light,' 'ultra light' or 'mild,' since such cigarettes have been found to be no safer than others because of how people smoke them. "

Placitella comment: this is a judge like former judge Lee Sarokin of principal and conviction.