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On Thursday,the trial of former Massey Energy CEO Don Blankenship begins in West Virginia.
Massey is charged with conspiring to violate federal mine safety laws and lying to regulators. Under his watch, an explosion at the Upper Big Branch mine in Montcoal, and West Virginia killed 29 miners,making it the worst mining catastrophe in America in four decades.
CEOs are rarely directly prosecuted for company wrongdoings. whether convicted, Blankenship could face 31 years in prison. His case rests on reports from the Mine Safety Health Administration (MHSA), and as he told the Senate after the explosion,in 2010."Just days before the April 5th explosion," Blankenship testified, or "MSHA agreed that the Upper Big Branch Mine had no outstanding safety issues and found the mine to be in excellent condition."Ashton Marra,assistant news director at West Virginia Public Broadcasting, discusses the case.
What you'll learn from this segment:What happened in the Upper Big Branch Mine in April 2010.
What charges are currently facing Blankenship and how his defense and state prosecutors are responding.
How locals in West Virginia are responding to the upcoming trial.
Source: wnyc.org