By: Sara Kropf The trial of Donald Blankenship has been all over the media. I've written about it here and here and here and here. Today, the jury reached its verdict. It found Mr. Blankenship guilty on one charge of conspiracy to avoid certain mine-safety laws. This...
The Impossible Standard to Change Venue–The Massey Mine Case Is Still in West Virginia
I’ve posted before about the upcoming criminal trial of Don Blankenship’s involvement in the Massey Mine disaster. The trial started on October 1 and is still going. It’s going to be a long one. Back in February, Mr. Blankenship filed a motion to change the venue of...
Massey Mine Defense Team Wins the Discovery Lottery–But Then Can’t Collect on It?
A few weeks ago, I wrote about some important discovery motions in the Massey Mine trial unfolding in the Southern District of West Virginia. The defense had a nice win recently on one of those motions. But according to a recent filing in the case, the government has...
The Massey Mine Trial’s Discovery Battles Continue (With an Update about a Defense Win)
By: Sara Kropf I have previously posted about the upcoming trial of Donald Blankenship, the former CEO of Massey Energy Company. Mr. Blankenship was indicted on several charges, including conspiracy to violate federal mine safety standards, following a fatal explosion...
Free Speech Wins: Overbroad Massey Mine Gag Order Lifted
By: Sara Kropf I have been writing about the stupendously overbroad gag order imposed sua sponte by the judge in the criminal trial of Donald Blankenship, former CEO of Massey Mine. Judge Irene Berger imposed it, several media organizations intervened to challenge it,...
“We Live in Coal Country”: A Questionable Rationale to Maintain a Broad Gag Order in Massey Mine Prosecution
By: Sara Kropf A few weeks ago, I wrote about the overly broad gag order imposed by a district court judge in West Virginia in the criminal case against former Massey CEO Don Blankenship. After furious motion practice, including efforts by various media organizations...
Gag Me With An . . . Order? Massey Mine Case Starts With Broad Gag Order
By: Sara Kropf The federal case against former Massey CEO Donald Blankenship has taken a rather unexpected turn—a sweeping gag and sealing order that effectively prevents anyone from following the case. I was hoping to cover this case in some detail by analyzing the...