Donald Blankenship Sentenced to a Year in Prison in Mine Safety Case [View all]
Last edited Wed Apr 6, 2016, 12:30 PM - Edit history (2)
Source: New York Times
(SNIP).
The sentencing, in Federal District Court here, came six years and one day after an explosion tore through Massey’s Upper Big Branch mine, killing 29 people. Although Mr. Blankenship was not accused of direct responsibility for the accident, the deadliest in American coal mining in about 40 years, the disaster prompted the federal inquiry that led to Mr. Blankenship’s indictment.
In addition to the year in jail, Mr. Blankenship was fined $250,000 and is subject to a year of supervised release. (SNIP)
Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2016/04/07/us/donald-blankenship-sentenced-to-a-year-in-prison-in-mine-safety-case.html?hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&clickSource=story-heading&module=first-column-region®ion=top-news&WT.nav=top-news
It is unbelievable that the maximum sentence that could be obtained for the deaths of 29 people is one year, and that this is considered to be exceptional in West Virginia. However, in case anyone was worried that a wealthy man like Blankenship would actually have to go to jail with the common people, he is appealing the sentence and asking for probation.
We shall see whether he actually serves a single day for this horrible crime.
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