Judge dismisses shareholder suits against Bridgestone

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (Oct. 7)—A federal district judge has thrown out two shareholder lawsuits that accused Bridgestone Corp. of deliberately withholding information about product defects at its Bridgestone/Firestone subsidiary to inflate stock value. Judge Robert Echols of the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee ruled that plaintiffs "failed to produce a strong inference" that Bridgestone knowingly lied about alleged defects that led to the recall of 6.5 million Firestone tires in August 2000. A BFS spokesman called Echols' decision "well-reasoned and sound." George Barrett, a Nashville attorney representing the plaintiffs, said "the probability is high" that they will appeal.