Apple's CPA witness credited with helping jury reach $290 million verdict against Samsung
After a weeklong trial, a jury yesterday determined that Samsung owes Apple US$290 million in damages on top of the $600 million the Korean-based tech giant already owes. During the course of the trial, Apple argued that Samsung should fork over upwards of $380 million while Samsung, not surprisingly, said they should only owe Apple about $52 million.
In reaching the $290 million figure, the jury indicated after the fact that they were particularly swayed by a CPA witness introduced by Apple.
Apple used the same lead lawyers, arguments and witnesses for this trial as it did last year, with the exception of a new damages expert to replace a witness who died. Jurors said after the verdict that the new expert, Julie L. Davis, a Chicago-based certified public accountant, provided clear evidence they could use to arrive at their damages sum and was unflappable on the stand.
"Ms. Davis was on it," jury forewoman Colleen Allen, a former US military medic who served a tour in Afghanistan and now runs a mobile blood-collecting business, said in an interview. Davis was a "superstar witness" who remained steady "even when she was cross-examined," Allen said.
The $290 million figure awarded to Apple covers damages resulting from 13 infringing Samsung devices. Nearly $100 million of that total was on account of the Samsung Infuse 4G.
For a quick reference point, here's a photo of the Infuse 4G courtesy of Engadget:
