Items Tagged with 'Massey Energy'

A federal grand jury in Charleston, West Virginia indicted former Massey Energy CEO for routinely violating federal mine safety rules at the Upper Big Branch Mine, leading to one of the worst mining disasters in U.S. history.

Former Massey Energy CEO Don Blankenship has taken to video to defend himself against charges that he is responsible for the Upper Big Branch disaster – to the outrage of victims’ family members. Dozens of them and their supporters gathered earlier this month outside a federal courthouse in Charleston, West Virginia, to protest the claims made in the video.

A former Massey Energy executive who admitted to helping hide safety violations at the company was sentenced Tuesday to 3 ½ years in prison – a year longer than the term recommended under federal sentencing guidelines.

Federal prosecutors this week filed criminal charges against a Massey Energy executive in connection with illegal practices at mines owned by Massey Energy – the company that operated the Upper Big Branch (UBB) mine, site of the worst mining disaster in U.S. history.

A former Massey Energy security director was sentenced to 36 months in jail on Wednesday for making a false statement and obstructing a government investigation into the Upper Big Branch Mine disaster.

New rules adopted Wednesday by the Securities and Exchange Commission regarding the disclosure of company safety information will affect mine operators as well as the financial industry, according to an AFL-CIO blog post.
 

An advocacy group is charging that the $209 million settlement in the Upper Big Branch Mine disaster announced yesterday does not serve justice, and that the mine operator should instead face criminal prosecution for the deaths of 29 workers in an explosion on April 5, 2010.