R.J. Reynolds Denied Supreme Court Appeal

R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Holdings Inc. lost its bid for a U.S. Supreme Court appeal of a $165,000 award it paid a cancer-stricken Florida smoker who has since died.

The court refused, without comment, to hear the second- largest U.S. tobacco company’s arguments that it couldn’t be penalized for selling a legal product. Floyd Kenyon, a retired schoolteacher, blamed R.J. Reynolds for his lung cancer and breathing disorder, claiming the tobacco company made a defective product and failed to warn customers about the risks of smoking.

R.J. Reynolds shares rose 52 cents to $60.11 on the NYSE.