UM Grace Case

Defense attorney David Bernick began his cross-examination of industrial hygienist and former toxicology coordinator for W.R. Grace, Steve Venuti, this afternoon following Judge Donold Molloy’s frank and stern discussion with the prosecution about its failure to prove its case so far.

After the jury  filed back into the courtroom, oblivious to the dramatic conversation that had just occurred, Bernick questioned Venuti about his past work for W.R. Grace, a company that helped fund both his undergraduate degree and later his master’s in public health.

Bernick discussed a series of meetings in which Venuti met with prosecuting attorney Kris McLean and other members of the government beginning in 2005, as well as his unwillingness to sit down with Grace officials, despite their numerous requests to talk. 

“So the company that paid for your education and whom you worked for for 15 years … you couldn’t spend one minute talking with them. Is that correct?” Bernick asked. Venuti responded yes, saying that it was a personal decision and that he was in no way influenced by government lawyers.

“I believed that it was my obligation as a citizen to speak with the government,” he said.

Bernick attempted to prove throughout his cross-examination that the government itself was well aware of the dangers associated with tremolite all the way back to 1973.

It was no secret, Bernick said. “Tremolite equals asbestos… the government has always known that.”

Molloy interrupted Bernick’s cross-examination shortly before 5 p.m. in order to address a number of housekeeping items. He reminded Venuti not to discuss his testimony with anyone or do any personal investigating. “[Don’t] get online and do any Twittering or whatever else people do on the Internet,” he said.

Molloy then discussed with the jury each of the counts alleged against Grace and its executive, the time frame that applies to each count, and those involved.

“I thought it would be helpful at this point in the trial to at least give you some context,” he said. “I’m sure you all have a sense of things.”

Molloy dismissed the court until 8:30 Thursday morning. “Hopefully [then] we won’t have the mice in the microphones,” he joked, referring to technical difficulties that plagued the courtroom earlier.

–Chris D’Angelo (posted 7:01 p.m.)