Opinion ID: 1826632
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Admiral Zumwalt

Text: Beech et al. argue that the trial court abused its discretion in wholly excluding the testimony of their witness Admiral Zumwalt. Plaintiffs sought to introduce Zumwalt's testimony as an expert in the areas of 1) the relationship between dioxin and the pulp and paper industry, 2) governmental regulation of dioxin, 3) lobbying efforts by the pulp and paper industry regarding dioxin, 4) the public's perception of dioxin, 5) his personal experiences regarding dioxin-based Agent Orange used in Vietnam, and 6) the health effects of dioxin. The trial court entered an order on June 23, 1993, granting the defendants' motion in limine to exclude Zumwalt's testimony, finding that he was not qualified to testify as an expert in any of these areas, and that his testimony regarding the death of his son as a result of exposure to Agent Orange would be irrelevant and prejudicial. Miss. R. Evid. 702 governs expert testimony. Rule 702 reads, If scientific, technical, or other specialized knowledge will assist the trier of fact to understand the evidence or to determine a fact in issue, a witness qualified as an expert by knowledge, skill, experience, training, or education, may testify thereto in the form of an opinion or otherwise. Miss. R. Evid. 702. Plaintiffs assert that Admiral Zumwalt should have been allowed to testify as an expert regarding the effects of dioxin on people, based upon his experience working on a study panel for the United States Veterans Administration. According to Zumwalt's deposition, he had no formal training in any of the areas in which the plaintiffs offered his testimony as an expert. His knowledge regarding dioxin and its health effects was based upon other people's studies that Zumwalt had read and upon conversations that he had with scientists. Zumwalt's participation on the study panel for the Veterans Administration was in the capacity of a layman member, involved in collecting studies, publications, and other documents related to the use of Agent Orange in Vietnam. Zumwalt had no understanding of the manufacturing process in the pulp and paper industry, and his knowledge regarding governmental regulation of dioxin was based upon hearsay. Based upon his deposition testimony, it cannot be said that the trial court abused its discretion by refusing to allow Zumwalt to testify as an expert.