Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-ared-4_05-cv-00497/USCOURTS-ared-4_05-cv-00497-13/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 365
Nature of Suit: Personal Injury - Product Liability
Cause of Action: 28:1332 Diversity-Product Liability

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Doc. No. 535.

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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

EASTERN DISTRICT OF ARKANSAS

RICHARD SHEPPARD ARNOLD UNITED STATES COURTHOUSE

600 W. CAPITOL, ROOM 423

LITTLE ROCK, ARKANSAS 72201-3325

(501) 604-5140

Facsimile (501) 604-5149

January 28, 2007

LETTER-ORDER

Mr. Leslie Frank Weisbrod 

Mr. William Burton Curtis

Ms. Alexandra V. Boone 

Mr. Bill Newman

Miller Curtis & Weisbrod LLP 

Post Office Box 821329 

Dallas, TX 75382-1329 

Ms. Kathleen Flynn Peterson 

Robins, Kaplan, Miller & Ciresi 

LaSalle Plaza 

800 LaSalle Avenue, Suite 2800 

Minneapolis, MN 55402-2015 

Mr. John Vardaman

Mr. Steve Urbanczyk

Mr. F. Lane Heard, III 

Williams & Connolly 

725 Twelfth Street, N.W. 

Washington, DC 20005-5901

Re: Rush v. Wyeth, 4:05-CV-497, Motion for Mistrial

Dear Counsel:

I deny Wyeth’s Motion for a Mistrial (its exception is reserved and preserved).1

 I anticipate giving

the attached instruction first thing tomorrow morning. 

Each lawyer involved in this case is instructed to again read my Guidelines for Trial between now

and 8:30 a.m. tomorrow morning.

Among other things the guidelines point out that “speaking objections” are prohibited.

When I have ruled on an item of evidence or a procedure, that is the “law of the case” unless I

change the ruling out of the presence of the jury. 

Case 4:05-cv-00497-BRW Document 540 Filed 01/28/07 Page 1 of 3
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If something has been excluded, the other side has not opened the door for broaching that subject

again, unless I rule that the door has been opened, outside the presence of the jury.

The thought of a mistrial gives me the shakin’ ague, but if counsel steps too far out-of-bounds or

steps out-of-bounds too often, even on smaller matters, a mistrial is always possible.

Each counsel in this case is extremely well-prepared and each counsel knows what I have ruled. As

I have pointed out, I do not want to scold a lawyer in front of the jury, but as I have also pointed out,

I ain’t too good to.

I expect you to represent your clients with zeal but, at the same time, you are to heed the Marquess

of Queensberry rules.

It would be a mighty good thing if I didn’t have to deal with this type of thing again during the entire

remainder of the trial.

Cordially,

/s/ Wm. R.Wilson,Jr. 

P.S. I note once again that fraud has been ruled out as a cause of action, and evidence going to

this question is excluded. BW

Original to the Clerk of Court

cc: The Honorable Henry L. Jones, Jr.

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ADMONITION

I have previously instructed you that what the lawyers say in argument and in questions

is not evidence. The evidence is what the witnesses say from the witness stand and what is in the

exhibits. I direct you to disregard the questions asked by Plaintiff's counsel just before lunch last

Friday that suggested that Wyeth's publications committee may have originated 3,000 articles. 

That suggestion was improper and is not supported by the evidence. You must disregard the

question and the implication, and you should not speculate about what number or articles may or

may not have originated in Wyeth's publications committee, unless it is based on evidence

produced here in the courtroom.

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