Jerry L. ROSS, Plaintiff-Appellee, v. BLACK & DECKER, INCORPORATED, a Foreign Corporation, Defendant-Appellant

COFFEY, Circuit Judge.

In July 1990, Jerry L. Ross, an Illinois resident, filed a products liability suit in an Illinois state court against the defendant Black & Decker, Inc. (“B & D”), a corporation with its principal place of business in Maryland. Ross sought damages for an injury sustained while operating a power saw manufactured by the defendant. B & D removed the state action to federal district court pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1441(a), invoking the court’s diversity jurisdiction. A jury found B & D liable for Ross’ injury, and awarded him $2,000,000 in compénsate- ry damages and…