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Massey Energy CEO Guilty Of Conspiracy
By: West Virginia Public Broadcasting
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Jurors have found former Massey Energy CEO Don Blankenship guilty of conspiring to violate federal mine safety standards and defrauding the Mine Safety and Health Administration. Deliberations lasted about 10 days.
The charges stemmed from an April 2010 explosion at Massey’s Upper Big Branch mine in Montcoal, W.Va. The blast killed 29 men who were working underground.
Jurors returned not-guilty verdicts on two counts of making false statements.
The government charged Blankenship with lying to investors and the federal Securities and Exchange Commission about Massey’s safety record following the Upper Big Branch explosion.
The trial began Oct. 1 in Charleston federal district court.
In seven weeks of testimony, U.S. Attorney Booth Goodwin’s office called 27 witnesses. The defense rested its case without calling a single witness.