Philip Morris gets burned for trashing e-mail

Philip Morris has been fined $2.75 million for deleting e-mail after a judge ordered the company to preserve it. U.S. District Judge Gladys Kessler in Washington, D.C., told the cigarette maker in October 1999 to keep "all documents and other records" that could potentially be relevant to the massive lawsuit brought by the U.S. government over the health risks posed by Philip Morris products, and the company's tobacco marketing practices.

Philip Morris, part of the Altria Group, had a long-standing policy of deleting all e-mail that was more than 60 days old. Because it did not change that rule until early 2002, correspondence between top managers was lost. "It is essential that such conduct be deterred (and) that the corporate and legal community understand that such conduct will not be tolerated," Kessler wrote in her decision last week.

[oohdalet]

Philip Morris gets burned for trashing e-mail

"Philip Morris gets burned for trashing e-mail" sounds to me like after I read the article that they should have known the law. I have been told by my son who is an officer of the law that ignorance of the law is no excuse, so pay the fine and learn from your mistake. America is great because of the American worker, so pay up and remember this; your company probably is flying our "Flag" out side the corporate office building and that means something to us American workers. Be an example or close your doors and move to another country. We can get along with out you. Well what did you expect? Signed; An Amercian Veteran. No offense buy you a Soda?