By KRWG News
Las Cruces – A Dona Ana County jury has found in favor of Helena Chemical Company in a civil defamation lawsuit against Mesquite community activist Arturo Uribe.
The jury awarded punitive damages of $75,000 and rejected a counterclaim by Uribe, who had alleged malicious abuse of process.
Uribe's attorneys claimed Helena abused the legal process to retaliate for a pending negligence lawsuit against the company.
Uribe, his wife and 20 other residents say their health and the Mesquite area's air and water quality have suffered because of Helena.
Helena Chemical sued Uribe for statements made to the news media and for slides he showed containing photos of a Texas City, Texas, industrial accident and a child born with six fingers.
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Information from: Las Cruces Sun-News, http://www.lcsun-news.com
Copyright 2010 The Associated Press.