October 5, 2002

Hurricane Lili is less disastrous than expected, but it leaves little town of Abbeville, La, a mess; town is hit dead on with winds of 115 miles an hour; 200 utility poles fall, wiping out electricity grid and shutting down sewage plants, four public schools, city government and 16-bed jail, as well as pumps that control water pressure; state officials say Abbeville is worst hit community in state; power company officials say it will be 10 days to three weeks before electricity is restored to everyone; downed trees are everywhere and roof is torn off high school; Pres Bush declares southern Louisiana a disaster areas, opening door for federal aid; photo; map (M)

Brooklyn lawsuit is pivotal test that could affect civil suits against gun industry nationally because plaintiffs have, for first time, obtained comprehensive government information tracing gun sales; suit was filed in 1999 by NAACP against gun industry; critics of industry have long sought such information, saying it is evidence that manufacturers knew how their guns were channeled toward illegal uses and indication that they could have stopped trafficking; contention of nearly 30 suits against gun industry is that some manufacturers' handguns are used in crimes so frequently that their sales strategies amount to violation of public's right to safety and peace; experts on liability law and firearms industry say information tracing gun sales may give plaintiffs their best chance at trying to prove what they say is 'see no evil, hear no evil' policy by gun makers; lawyers for gun industry say data will not establish liability because it could show only that manufacturers and distributors sell legal product through legal means; photo (M)

Admitting membership in Al Qaeda, Richard C. Reid pleaded guilty to charges of trying to blow up a flight in December with explosives hidden in his shoes. Page A11.

Murray Chass On Baseball column discusses disappointing performances of New York Yankees starting pitchers Mike Mussina, Andy Pettitte and Roger Clemens in first three games of American League divison series against Anaheim Angels; photos (M)

Jury Sets Punitive Damages At $28 Billion for Smoker A Los Angeles Superior Court jury awarded $28 billion in punitive damages to a 64-year-old woman with lung cancer who accused Philip Morris of luring her into a lifelong tobacco habit with fraudulent advertising and marketing. It was the largest punitive damage award ever in a tobacco case and Philip Morris said it would ask the court to reverse the verdict and order a new trial and, if that attempt fails, appeal to the state's supreme court. [A14.]