Tobacco companies must keep turning over documents to Minnesota

Phillip Morris removing "lowered tar" from package
Phillip Morris was recently ordered by an Illinois judge to pay $10.1 billion in damages for misleading smokers into believing "light" cigarettes were safer than regular cigarettes.
Scott Olson/Getty Images

A federal judge ruled Thursday that tobacco companies conspired to mislead the public about the dangers of smoking. Phillip Morris has said it will appeal the ruling.

Tucked into the 1,600-page decision, U.S. District Judge Gladys Kessler ordered tobacco companies to continue to provide documents to a vast information depository located in Minnesota.

That depository was created as part of the 1998 settlement between Minnesota and major tobacco companies. Former Minnesota Attorney General Skip Humphrey negotiated that settlement. He tells MPR's Tom Crann what's in that depository.

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