My hopes that Judge Bolanos was starting to see how extensively she has tied Plaintiff’s hands with rulings benefitting Monsanto came crashing down. Yesterday, on the jury’s day off, Plaintiff, Defendant and Bolanos met to continue debating the permissiblity of discussing NSRL, Prop 65, and several other issues. In every issue raised, Bolanos favored Monsanto.…

There is a lovely small town in rural North Carolina in which everyone is welcoming and family is of utmost importance. The town’s history is rich in farming and it is not uncommon for homes to have large open land surrounding them. Pesticides are widely used, so trust in the manufacturers and EPA is high.…

The mood today is overwhelmingly somber. Media cameras pack the halls and there is a line in front of the courtroom to claim media passes. Any extra seats are given out in a lottery to members of the public. Today is the much anticipated testimony of Plaintiff Dewayne Lee Johnson. I feel tacky even writing…

I have a friend whose adorable puppy died of lymphoma when he was 22 months old. Yesterday, I told her about this trial and my blog. She went a bit silent during our conversation, and shared that her husband diligently sprayed Roundup outside of their home to get rid of weeds on the patio. With…

Today feels peculiar.  I walk through the halls of the fifth floor of the courthouse, and hear chatter and laughter. It appears that the jury is becoming chummy! Just last week, they sat in silence outside of the courtroom, but now there is banter. One male jury member has been rotating some wildly printed button…

This morning, I ride the elevator up with several jury members. It’s funny, we haven’t interacted at all, but we have stared at one another for hours. I’m careful to just be friendly and discuss nothing, but can’t wait to share my blog with them post-trial.  Pending on how the case ends up, some of…

The lawyers meet up before the jury convenes to discuss a few issues raised by the Plaintiff. Yesterday, Griffis asked Portier to list all regulatory findings after IARC with which he reviewed and disagreed. Portier included the California EPA on his list.  Of course, we know that Portier disagreed with California’s high NSRL determination, not…

As if we never left, we are all back in the courtroom. The court reporter left two notes to SLOW DOWN. The group is definitely prone to rapid speak. I am beginning to worry that Judge Bolanos is favoring the Defendants. I’m trying to trust in impartiality, but it seems that she is tying up…

I’ve heard several references to Roundup as “safe enough to drink.” Regarding this catch phrase about hydrating yourself with Roundup, Johnson was fed the same line. I received a comment from a woman who just attended a commodities trade show.  For two days, Monsanto tried to convince her that drinking a bottle of Roundup wouldn’t…

The big day – opening statements! The media is back with cameras and crowds, lining the hallways and the front of the courthouse. The judge ordered that only mini-openings, openings, closings and verdicts could be filmed, so the journalists are briefly dipping back into the case. The room has its familiar getup of screens and…

New day, new energy!  Everyone looks more groomed this morning while putting the finishing touches on the jury selection. David Dickens says that he can confidently say “good morning.” THE FINAL INTERVIEWS A soft-spoken young woman who grew up in a farming community in Colorado. She worked in banking but recently made a career switch…

9:40 start – – I’m sitting in the media row with people who are becoming much more chummy, as we drag through the days together. We makeup an unusual mix: several attorneys who are invested in how this case evolves, a sassy actress Jill, activist Carey Gillam, committed environmentalist Robert Kennedy Jr., a stud from…