Merrell Williams Jr.
Merrell Williams Jr. | |
|---|---|
| Born | January 26, 1941 |
| Died | November 18, 2013 (aged 72) |
| Other names | Mr. Butts |
| Education | Ph.D. in Theater Arts |
| Alma mater | Baylor University and University of Denver |
| Occupation | paralegal |
| Years active | 1988–1994 |
| Employer | Wyatt, Tarrant & Combs |
| Known for | Leaking secret tobacco company documents |
| Awards | Joe A. Callaway Award for Civic Courage Gleitsman Foundation's Citizen Activist Award |
Merrell Williams Jr. (January 26, 1941 – November 18, 2013) was a whistleblower in the tobacco industry, revealing secret papers of tobacco companies showing that the companies had been lying to the public. It eventually resulted in a multi-billion-dollar settlement with the US states.