U.S. top court rejects convicted coal executive's appeal

Source: Reuters

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Former Massey Energy Co Chief Executive Officer Donald Blankenship’s bid to overturn his conviction stemming from a 2010 West Virginia mine explosion that killed 29 coal miners ended on Tuesday as the U.S. Supreme Court rejected his appeal.

Blankenship was released from prison in May after serving a one-year sentence for conspiring to violate federal mine safety standards. He had asked the Supreme Court to hear his challenge to a January ruling by a federal appeals court in Richmond, Virginia upholding his conviction.

Blankenship had argued that the trial judge improperly instructed jurors about the meaning of “willfully” violating mine safety regulations.

Once dubbed West Virginia’s “king of coal” for his working-class background and tough approach to business, Blankenship helped build Massey into Appalachia’s largest coal producer, with more than 7,000 employees and more than 40 mines.

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#SUPREME COURT OCTOBER 10, 2017 / 10:17 AM / UPDATED AN HOUR AGO
Andrew Chung
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Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-court-blankenship/u-s-top-court-rejects-convicted-coal-executives-appeal-idUSKBN1CF1XU