This Blog is created to stress the importance of Peace as an environmental directive. “I never give them hell. I just tell the truth and they think it’s hell.” – Harry Truman
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Federal prosecutors said that the former security chief at a West Virginia coal mine where 29 miners died in a 2010 explosion lied to investigators and attempted to destroy documents in defiance of company orders.
The trial of Hughie Elbert Stover, 60, is the first criminal proceeding to come from the explosion at Massey Energy's Upper Big Branch mine, the deadliest such US blast in decades.
Opening statements were given on Monday in US District Court.
Authorities allege that he sought to conceal that he instructed the mine's security guards to announce by radio when federal inspectors were on the property.
"Not only did he train his guards to make the announcement, he enforced the policy," Assistant US Attorney Phil Wright told jurors.
"The evidence will show Mr. Stover's guards did announce the arrival of inspectors. They were to get on the radio. They were to announce the mine inspectors on the property."
US mine boss on trial for deaths of 29 miners (click title to entry - thank you)
11:59 AM Tuesday Oct 25, 2011Federal law forbids such advance warnings of spot mine safety checks. Stover had told investigators that mine policy barred this illegal practice, and that he would have fired any guard who violated it, according to the indictment....
US mine boss on trial for deaths of 29 miners (click title to entry - thank you)
