I wonder if they will find him guilty?

[Nasty55]

Jury deliberates in criminal trial of WV coal mine explosion that killed 29 men.

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -
The jury has been sent to deliberate in the trial of ex-Massey Energy CEO Don Blankenship on charges of violating mine safety laws.

Jurors were sent out of the federal courtroom late Tuesday afternoon in Charleston, West Virginia.

During a final closing rebuttal argument, prosecutors asked jurors to picture themselves working in Upper Big Branch Mine, plagued by safety deficiencies and insufficient staff.

Blankenship is accused of putting profits ahead of safety in the years before an explosion killed 29 men at the mine in southern West Virginia in 2010.

The defense says prosecutors presented no evidence that Blankenship was involved in a criminal conspiracy.

[swartzman]

When the defense does not present one person to testify in their behalf, it pretty much tells me the prosecution did not do to much to show Don B. as being guilty. Guess we'll all know how the jurors see it in the near future..

[Nasty55]

When the defense does not present one person to testify in their behalf, it pretty much tells me the prosecution did not do to much to show Don B. as being guilty. Guess we'll all know how the jurors see it in the near future..

I was pretty much thinking the same thing swartzman.... the prosecution supposedly had all of this evidence and then all of a sudden they have nothing.... i say he walks a free man.... the sad part of this whole deal is we lost one of the up and coming late model drivers in John Blankenship because of his dads stupidity....

[kidrock]

The really sad part is that 29 people lost their lives no matter the circumstances.

[oldfart50]

The really sad part is that 29 people lost their lives no matter the circumstances.

100% correct

[Nasty55]

The really sad part is that 29 people lost their lives no matter the circumstances.

I agree 100% kid I didn't mean any disrespect to the deceased at all...

[kidrock]

I agree 100% kid I didn't mean any disrespect to the deceased at all...

None taken and knew you didn't. Sorry if you thought I thought because I didn't. I have seen enough of your post to know that.

[00Hdmn]

First of all, my prayers go out to all the families that lost loved ones in this horrible accident. My question is with all of the federal inspectors these days and regulations by our wonderful government, why are they not responsible for this tragity? Couldn't they have just shut the mine down until all problems were fixed? Just doesn't make sense to me.

[useddirt]

YOU ARE ABSOLUTELY 100% RIGHT OOHdmn !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[mudmaker]

Usually MSHA will shut down a mine if the violations are severe enough. We can only speculate something under the table going on here.
I know Massey Energy had hundreds of violations in limbo, appealing through an administrative judge. By doing that the company doesn't have to pay the fine and with the back log in front of those administrative judges, an outcome was so far down the road the hope is they are forgotten. With each violation that stands, it thereby increases the amount of all future fines so appealing them in the beginning is a top priority for the company.
Tragedy for the loss of life for it apparently doesn't weigh as heavy as loss of profit paying fines.

A chart showing numbers of fines for Massey Energy for 10 years.

http://www.msha.gov/PerformanceCoal/...%20Summary.pdf

[00Hdmn]

Usually MSHA will shut down a mine if the violations are severe enough. We can only speculate something under the table going on here.
I know Massey Energy had hundreds of violations in limbo, appealing through an administrative judge. By doing that the company doesn't have to pay the fine and with the back log in front of those administrative judges, an outcome was so far down the road the hope is they are forgotten. With each violation that stands, it thereby increases the amount of all future fines so appealing them in the beginning is a top priority for the company.
Tragedy for the loss of life for it apparently doesn't weigh as heavy as loss of profit paying fines.

A chart showing numbers of fines for Massey Energy for 10 years.

http://www.msha.gov/PerformanceCoal/...%20Summary.pdf

Thanks for the info, that just clarifies that the government is at complete fault that they didn't shut them down, if there was something going on under the table it is still the governments fault for letting that happen.

[Bubstr]

In a ideal world, the survivors of those 29 men would file suit against both, the coal co. and the government, but in the real world, as soon as they add government to the defendant list, the law suit becomes un-winnable. Who has control of the courts?

[gorj]

In a ideal world, the survivors of those 29 men would file suit against both, the coal co. and the government, but in the real world, as soon as they add government to the defendant list, the law suit becomes un-winnable. Who has control of the courts?

When government officials are involved, especially when benefitting and vacationing with the defendant, they become blind and deaf on curtain matters. It's ashame because lives were lost and families hurt.

[hucktyson]

When men working in an extremely dangerous occupation are killed in a terrible accident laying that on the CEO who most likely never stepped foot in that mine and most likely never talked to the shift supervisor is a huge strech

[tsand]

When men working in an extremely dangerous occupation are killed in a terrible accident laying that on the CEO who most likely never stepped foot in that mine and most likely never talked to the shift supervisor is a huge strech

The last time a judge a ruled against blankinship the next election Don spent a couple million running his on candidate against the judge and Don candidate won. Everybody that worked under Don was convicted or pleaded guilty. A they all said they were working on Don directions.

[let-r-eat]

If IMSHA would have shut the mine down, everyone would have been stirred to think the government is shutting down OUR COAL MINES and it's that MEAN NASTY GOVERNMENT killing our jobs!

I don't have enough information to know if he is guilty or not guilty or to even form an opinion but what I do know is that people need to quit pitting people against government. It's a scary tactic and if you don't want government in your lives then move to Darfur or Africa somewhere. Government has it's flaws but it isn't an enemy like so many are trying to reflect it to be!

[bleedblue55]

When men working in an extremely dangerous occupation are killed in a terrible accident laying that on the CEO who most likely never stepped foot in that mine and most likely never talked to the shift supervisor is a huge strech

Actually the whole case against him was based on how he micromanaged his coal mines to maximize production. Most of the testimony centered around how hands on he was with all levels of employees at the mine. A few of the shift supervisor types at Upper Big Branch cut deals with the Feds to minimize their own prosecution. Believe that's why the Feds thought they could tie him directly to the incidents that led up to the explosion. With that said I followed a lot of the proceedings and I'm not sure the "Gotcha Moment" ever happened but I could be wrong on that. I predicted huge fines and a little time at Club Fed pretrial. Whatever the outcome I'm sure the appeals will drag on for awhile given Don's war chest of funds..

[chupp n bloomer fan]

I'd be very surprised if he gets anything. He's the perfect example of only caring about the almighty dollar, and none about those who make it for you. Between buying politicians, judges, and I'd venture to say MSHA investigators, he's a rich pos who is pretty much above the law. The more you hear about him, the more you wanna vomit.

[jog49]

One of you has insinuated that the government is crooked. Say it ain't so, Joe!
LOL!

[TackyTracker]

this happened in 2010 and just now there is a deliberation???