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Judge separates law suits in poultry case
Daily Oklahoman reports Sept. 22, 2006: TULSA -- A federal magistrate Thursday severed third- party defendants from the state's lawsuit against the poultry industry. Magistrate Sam Joyner in Tulsa ruled poultry companies cannot pursue actions against the third- party defendants until after the completion of the state's case against the companies.
TULSA -- A federal magistrate Thursday severed third- party defendants from the state's lawsuit against the poultry industry.
Magistrate Sam Joyner in Tulsa ruled poultry companies cannot pursue actions against the third- party defendants until after the completion of the state's case against the companies.
The 14 companies sued by Oklahoma Attorney General Drew Edmondson added 161 agricultural, municipal and commercial operators as defendants.
Both Edmondson and the poultry industry claimed victory Thursday.
"From the very beginning, these (poultry) companies have spent all of their energy on legal and public relations tricks," Edmondson said. "Once again, their scheme to delay, confuse and complicate this case has failed."
Janet Wilkerson, a spokeswoman for the industry, said the ruling will allow poultry companies to discover how the third-party defendants "may be responsible for some of the environmental harm alleged by Mr. Edmondson."