A community meeting was abruptly canceled because plaintiffs were concerned that expressing their opinions could affect the outcome of their lawsuit.
The Helena Chemical case involves nearly 2,000 Mission residents who either died or were sickened by chemicals used on citrus groves over a half a century ago.
The group's spokesman told Action 4 News why these residents stayed in the area despite the controversial illnesses believed to be linked to harmful chemicals.
"All they had was their homes. And, also keep in mind that Helena Chemical, back in their heyday, was a company that people worked for because it was one of the very few companies that paid good money and even though they were risking their lives, they still had to support their families," said community activist, Roque Duran.
A trial date has been set for October 13th in Hidalgo County.
A vigil is being planned at a church in Mission for those who lost their lives.
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