News Article

Coca-Cola Denies It Shredded Documents

The Atlanta Constitution

Published: October 01, 1999

ATLANTA -- The attorneys representing the plaintiffs in a racial discrimination suit irresponsibly accused Coca-Cola of shredding documents and should be punished by the court, the company said Thursday.

While the company said that employees once discussed the possibility of using shredders in a data collection room, Coca-Cola said the idea was " immediately vetoed," and it has never shredded any documents.

"Plaintiffs' latest motion is at best reckless and disingenuous, and at worst a deliberate attempt to mislead the court and manipulate public opinion through demonstrably false and inflammatory allegations," Coca-Cola said in its formal challenge to the plaintiffs' accusations.

In a stinging 35-page brief, the Atlanta-based beverage company repeatedly condemned the plaintiffs' attorneys, saying they are "apparently unconstrained by any obligation even to attempt to verify" the facts.

But Cyrus Mehri, one of the lead plaintiffs' attorneys, discounted the company's response.

"This defense is the equivalent of 'I smoked pot but didn't inhale,' " Mehri said. He added that the plaintiffs will now file a formal reply to the company's statements.