St. Clair County Associate Judge Randall Kelley filed a protective order in a lawsuit alleging a man discovered someone’s gold tooth when he bit into a Pillsbury baked biscuit.
On March 11, Kelley filed the protective order with respect to confidential business information that “would adversely affect General Mills’ business” if made public.
He scheduled a status conference for July 20 at 8:30 a.m.
According to Elmo Kane’s June 18 lawsuit, the plaintiff claims he purchased a sealed can of Pillsbury Grands Biscuits Southern Style on Nov. 20, 2014. He alleges the container had not been previously opened, punctured or otherwise tampered with.
However, Kane claims that when he opened the can, baked the biscuits and took a bite, he “bit into someone else’s gold tooth that was in the biscuit.” The plaintiff allegedly immediately placed the can and the tooth into a plastic bag.
Kane accuses the defendant of negligence for failing to adequately package the product and failing “to manufacture a product fit for human consumption,” the suit states.
Kane seeks a judgment of more than $50,000, plus attorney’s fees and costs.
The plaintiff is represented by Matthew Young of Kuehn, Beasley & Young in Belleville.
Curtis R. Picou and Mary G. Sullivan of Crivello, Carlsoon, Picou & Andrekanic in Edwardsville and Jerry W. Blackwell, Corey L. Gordon and Mary S. Young of Minneapolis represent General Mills.
St. Clair County Circuit Court case number 15-L-359