Jury Selection In Monsanto Case

{Winfield, West Virginia}...Jury selection started Tuesday morning in the case of Bibb et al v. Monsanto Co., the biggest civil lawsuit in Putnam County history. The case has been in Putnam County Circuit Court for several years and has been assigned to several judges. The most recent judge, O.C. Spaulding, announced August 26th that he would step down from the case because he had been diagnosed with Lou Gerhig's disease. Mercer County Judge Derek Swope is now presiding over the case. The case alleges that residents were injured when Monsanto released an agricultural herbicide from its Nitro plant. Residents claim that Monsanto unsafely burned dioxin and spread contaminated soot and dust across the city, polluting homes and businesses. The lawsuit is seeking medical monitoring for thousands who live there.