Tobacco firms liable in death

A California jury found Altria Group Inc.’s Philip Morris USA and Reynolds American Inc. liable in the death of a 40-year-old smoker and awarded $2.4 million to the smoker’s family, the Tobacco Products Liability Project said.

The verdict came Wednesday in a wrongful death suit brought by the family of Leslie Whiteley, who died of lung cancer, the anti-smoking group said in a statement. Punitive damages against Reynolds American’s R.J. Reynolds will be determined this week, the statement said.

Altria spokeswoman Lisa Gonzalez declined to comment. A call to Reynolds American’s media office after hours wasn’t returned. Madelyn Chaber, a lawyer for the Whiteley family, also declined to comment.