TOBACCO-FIRM LAWYERS FACE ACCUSATIONS OF DECEPTION

NEW YORK - The government believes lawyers for the nation's third-largest
cigarette manufacturer may have engaged in a criminal plan to deceive
federal regulators, The Wall Street Journal reported today.

The Justice Department last month filed a sealed court brief contending
that lawyers for Brown & Williamson Tobacco cited attorney-client privilege
as the reason for refusing to hand over documents.

The department argues that privilege wouldn't apply if there is evidence
that a crime was committed by the attorneys.

A Brown & Williamson attorney, William Hendricks, declined to comment.

The brief reportedly was part of the Justice Department's grand-jury
evidence against the company. It was filed last month in federal court in
the District of Columbia.

It's unclear whether the department's attempt to obtain the documents was
successful, the Journal said.

The government's probe is focusing on whether Brown & Williamson lied to
the Food and Drug Administration and other agencies about manipulating
nicotine levels in cigarettes and using tobacco leaves with high levels of
nicotine, lawyers familiar with the case told the newspaper.

Checked-by: Joel W. Johnson