Tobacco firm fined $20.4m

A federal jury has decided cigarette maker Philip Morris USA should pay US$13.8 million ($20.42 million) in punitive damages to the daughter of a longtime smoker who died of lung cancer.

The Los Angeles jury voted 9-3 in favour of Jodie Bullock, who is now the plaintiff in the case after Betty Bullock died in February 2003, having accused Philip Morris of fraud and product liability.