Penultimate Clashes in the Stem Trial

The almost final arguments in the California stem cell trial have now been filed. Rebuttals are due next week.

Here is part of what reporter Bernadette Tansey of the San Francisco Chronicle had to say about the filings:

"Robert Taylor, an attorney for the taxpayer group People's Advocate, argued that members of the independent committee charged with distributing billions in stem cell grants represent the interests of the universities and disease advocacy organizations from which they are drawn, not the interests of the state at large. But the state prosecutor defending the stem cell initiative said the challengers had failed to produce any evidence at trial to prove their claims. The testimony demonstrated that the new research institute is subject to supervision and control by state authorities including the treasurer's office and the Legislature, wrote Deputy Attorney General Tamar Pachter...."
"The opponents will have a last chance to counter each other's written arguments Wednesday, when final reply briefs must be filed with Alameda County Superior Court Judge Bonnie Sabraw. She will then issue a written ruling, possibly within weeks. But even if the plaintiffs lose, their appeals could take another year."

It appears that Tansey was the only reporter to file a story this morning on the filings, but, of course, that statement has to be qualified by proficiency of the usual search engines, which do not find everything.