Altria Group avoided a potentially costly verdict after a Missouri judge declared a mistrial in the first "Lights'' cigarette class action to reach a jury.

A St. Louis judge declared a mistrial Tuesday in a USD 700 million lawsuit against Philip Morris USA, after jurors failed to reach agreement on whether Missouri smokers were misled into believing that light cigarettes were safer than regular cigarettes, reports Associated Press.

The ruling by St. Louis Circuit Judge Michael David ended a class-action lawsuit that was originally filed in 2000 and went to trial just last month. Jurors began deliberations Oct. 18 and were into their fifth day before the judge declared the mistrial.

Stephen Swedlow, lead attorney for the plaintiffs, said he will take the case to trial again. Swedlow noted that the jury had announced it had voted 8-4 in favor of the plaintiffs, just one favorable vote short of the nine needed to return a civil verdict under Missouri law. (pi)