CLARKSBURG, W.Va. (AP) - Federal prosecutors have decided not to retry a West Virginia coal boss whose case ended in mistrial on charges of campaign finance fraud.
U.S. Attorney Bill Powell of the Northern District of West Virginia said in a statement Friday that prosecutors have filed a motion to have the case against 58-year-old James Laurita Jr. of Morgantown dismissed.
The first trial in Laurita’s case ended with a mistrial when a jury couldn’t determine whether he illegally funneled excessive campaign contributions to pro-coal politicians between 2010 and 2013.
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Powell said prosecutors believe presenting the same evidence with the same legal standards would likely lead to jurors being deadlocked again and wouldn’t be a judicious use of resources.
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