CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) - The latest developments in the federal trial of former Massey Energy CEO Don Blankenship. All times are local:
5:05 p.m.
The third day of jury selection for former Massey Energy CEO Don Blankenship’s criminal trial has concluded, and a jury still hasn’t been finalized.
In a transcript of proceedings last week, Judge Irene Berger said she was seeking 35 prospective jurors.
Once selected, that field will be whittled to 12 jurors and two or three alternates, after which prosecutors and defense will pick jurors to strike from the group. The defense gets a slight edge in the number of strikes.
It’s still unclear how many jurors have been selected so far. Thirteen prospective jurors were dismissed Monday.
After Monday’s round of jury selection, U.S. Attorney Booth Goodwin told reporters, “we’re almost there.”
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1:10 p.m.
A memo in the case against ex-Massey Energy CEO Don Blankenship shows his former top safety official pinpointed problems with the company’s safety efforts.
The June 2009 document filed in Charleston federal court this weekend includes the guidance from former Massey safety chief Bill Ross.
It says Massey mines were understaffed, workers were too inexperienced to recognize violations and the company was dishonest with government agencies.
The document says some Massey mines were “plainly cheating” on coal dust sampling, and the company’s attitude was “We will run until we get caught, then we will fix it.”
The memo was filed by prosecutors after Blankenship’s attorneys contended that Ross’ potential testimony shouldn’t be mentioned in the government’s opening arguments.
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10:15 a.m.
Jury selection has resumed for the federal trial of former Massey Energy Don Blankenship.
Potential jurors returned to the federal courthouse in Charleston on Monday morning for the third day of jury selection. U.S. District Judge Irene Berger is questioning all prospective jurors with her microphone off.
The public, including reporters, are watching the proceedings from a live closed-circuit television feed from another room. They can’t hear questions and responses.
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8:45 a.m.
Former Massey Energy CEO Don Blankenship has arrived at the U.S. District Court in Charleston for the third day of jury selection at his federal trial.
Forty-two prospective jurors were excused on Thursday and 16 were dismissed on Friday.
The 65-year-old Blankenship is charged with conspiring to break mine safety laws and lying to financial regulators about safety practices at the Upper Big Branch mine in southern West Virginia. The mine exploded in 2010, killing 29 miners.
If convicted of all the charges, Blankenship faces up to three decades in prison.
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