The one point nine billion dollar defamation trial filed by Beef Products Incorporated against ABC Broadcasting and reporter Jim Avila came to an abrupt halt Wednesday morning.

Circuit Judge Cheryle Gering began proceedings by announcing to the jury that a settlement had been reached in the case and they were being dismissed.

The settlement comes after the jury was sent home Tuesday morning because of what Gering called a “major legal issue”, came up after court adjourned following Monday’s testimony.

BPI Attorney Dan Webb says the settlement vindicated the company’s lean finely textured beef that Avila and ABC News reports had referred to as “pink slime”…..

Webb says the settlement also affirms the quality of BPI’s beef product:

BPI’s founder and C-E-O Eldon Roth declined to comment, but ABC Reporter Jim Avila spoke with the media after the settlement was announced…..

Avila added that he will return to work for ABC news next week.
He had been in court every day for the three and a half weeks of the trial in Union County Circuit Court in Elk Point.