Welcome login | signup
Language en es fr
OccupyForum

Forum Post: 3 Harlan coal company Manalapan mine employees indicted

Posted 12 years ago on March 4, 2012, 7:35 p.m. EST by GirlFriday (17435)
This content is user submitted and not an official statement

A Harlan County coal company and three supervisors willfully violated federal health and safety rules, exposing employees at an underground mine to the danger of being hurt or killed, a federal grand jury charged Wednesday.

Read more here: http://www.kentucky.com/2012/02/22/2079716/three-harlan-coal-company-manalapan.html#storylink=cpy

62 Comments

62 Comments


Read the Rules
[-] 3 points by elf3 (4203) 12 years ago

"They were playing Russian roulette with the miners' lives," Oppegard said. Those charges related to false reporting are felonies, punishable by up to five years in prison. The other charges in the indictment carry a maximum one-year sentence. If we played with lives and people died would our sentence be so short? Why do we treat CEO's as if they are somehow removed from their actions or crimes? Because it involved a large corporation / profits. In my mind that is akin to murder or manslaughter for hire.

[-] 1 points by GirlFriday (17435) 12 years ago

I agree. 100%.

[-] 3 points by shoozTroll (17632) 12 years ago

How much you want to bet it's a non-union mine?

I hope they get sued out of business.

[-] 0 points by GirlFriday (17435) 12 years ago

I was just trying to look that up. Here is a better article. http://blog.minesafety.com/?p=410

[-] 3 points by shoozTroll (17632) 12 years ago

I can't find any evidence of a union.

You'd think after Massey, they would have learned.

[-] 1 points by GirlFriday (17435) 12 years ago

I don't see a list at the UMWA.

[-] 1 points by GirlFriday (17435) 12 years ago

Hopefully, this will lead to change and a little closure.

[-] 0 points by SmeggitySpooge (78) 12 years ago

Guess who the owners are quite cozy with..........

of course you wouldn't know, those guest books are being kept from the public.

[-] 0 points by GirlFriday (17435) 12 years ago

Ah......you are a false positive fan on top of it all. Sweeeet.

[-] 0 points by SmeggitySpooge (78) 12 years ago

Not at all, I think DC is perfect and not part of the problem, just like you!

Except for that other party.

[-] 1 points by JuanFenito (847) 12 years ago

What other party?

[-] 1 points by SmeggitySpooge (78) 12 years ago

That's right! There is no other party! Fill DC with D's and all will be swell!

[-] 1 points by GirlFriday (17435) 12 years ago

If the other option is dealing with your boss, then the last thing the US needs is more of your ethics.

[-] -1 points by SmeggitySpooge (78) 12 years ago

You will be detained indefinitely and part of your torture will be having your toenails pulled out of their fungal nail beds and fed to you.

For it is written.

[-] 2 points by GirlFriday (17435) 12 years ago

Now, you are just being boringly stupid.

[-] -1 points by SmeggitySpooge (78) 12 years ago

Coming from an expert on the subject of boringly stupid, I'll take that under advisement.

[-] 1 points by GirlFriday (17435) 12 years ago

Oh, I think DC is part of the problem. That is something that you cooked up in your very own little mind to pacify yourself.

[-] -1 points by SmeggitySpooge (78) 12 years ago

No, no and no. If not, you're just plain dishonest and stupid.

SmeggitySpooge's name shall not be besmirched!

[-] -1 points by GirlFriday (17435) 12 years ago

It already has been. You did that all by yourself. You are an unethical, slimy, filthy, ignorant POS.

[-] -2 points by SmeggitySpooge (78) 12 years ago

I completely understand your fixation upon, and infatuation of, me.

It's very similar to mine with your other hero, Pelosi.

[-] 1 points by GirlFriday (17435) 12 years ago

I wouldn't have you if you were the last man on earth. :D

[-] -2 points by SmeggitySpooge (78) 12 years ago

FINALLY, you have accepted that I've rejected you in absolute terms!

I'm proud of you, Ms Celebrated Slattern!

[-] 1 points by GirlFriday (17435) 12 years ago

[-] 1 points by GirlFriday (3354) 12 minutes ago I wouldn't have you if you were the last man on earth. :D ↥like ↧dislike reply edit delete permalink

[-] -2 points by SmeggitySpooge (78) 12 years ago

Come on psycho, you've been trying to hump my codpiece since the 3rd grade.

Don't make me bash you in that bulldog eating mayonnaise looking baboon face of yours again.

[-] 2 points by GirlFriday (17435) 12 years ago

I do not like stupid men. You are the dictionary entry of stupid.

Make no mistake. I will take you to the ground by your pinky and you will beg to lick my boots.

[-] -2 points by BlackSun (275) from Agua León, BC 12 years ago

Such a mature response. I doubt you could do anything but cower to power.

[-] 1 points by GirlFriday (17435) 12 years ago

You don't have any power.

[-] -1 points by SmeggitySpooge (78) 12 years ago

You figured it out, good for you!

[-] -2 points by SmeggitySpooge (78) 12 years ago

We've already been through that and even though you've had your dubious sex change operation, I won't copulate with primates no matter how much you want me to lick you.

Sorry for your bad luck, again.

[-] 1 points by GirlFriday (17435) 12 years ago

I am a female. I was born a female and I will die a female. I wouldn't have you if you were the last man on earth.

[-] 1 points by Jflynn1964 (-206) 12 years ago

Back off Smeggity, Friday is a nice lady. You are barking up the wrong tree.

[-] -1 points by SmeggitySpooge (78) 12 years ago

You've been duped. ;-)

[-] 1 points by JuanFenito (847) 12 years ago

Back off of Pelosi, twit! She's mine!!!

I guess we could share.

[-] -1 points by SmeggitySpooge (78) 12 years ago

She's been blowing up my phone and foaming at her pie hole for some of that fast and furious action.

Block in a few days on your calendar for it.

[-] -1 points by SmeggitySpooge (78) 12 years ago

BTW..... I love being called "twit" almost as much as "democrat"!

It really gets my jewses flowing.

[-] 1 points by JuanFenito (847) 12 years ago

As long as it doesn't get the inexpensive Canadian oil flowing! That would make me stop for sure! Can't have that!

[-] -1 points by SmeggitySpooge (78) 12 years ago

If they're smarter than we, are we hate em!

I want some free BC pills, don't they make the for men?

If not, that's discrimination and we can't have that either!

[-] 1 points by JuanFenito (847) 12 years ago

It's not "discrimination" if it's against men. Are you white also? This stuff matters, we can't just give free stuff to people who don't need it. It's reverse discrimination, which is the good kind of gender discrimination.

[-] 0 points by SmeggitySpooge (78) 12 years ago

Sorry, I forgotted my place there for a quickly minute.

I won't stumble or falter like that again.

[+] -5 points by DKAtoday (33802) from Coon Rapids, MN 12 years ago

I really like that 1st part of your comment - some real truth shared there. Troll ideology of the corrupt and greedy - 101.

Thanks for sharing.


0 points by SmeggitySpooge (32) 13 minutes ago

If they're smarter than we, are we hate em!


Was that an Ooops?

[-] -1 points by SmeggitySpooge (78) 12 years ago

I don't blame you for being smitten by me at all. After all, you are merely human and nobody can blame you.

[-] 0 points by bensdad (8977) 12 years ago

Thanks for the news + EXPOSURE Lets keep hope massey is next !

[-] 0 points by GirlFriday (17435) 12 years ago

Yep.

[-] -1 points by BlackSun (275) from Agua León, BC 12 years ago

How wonderful for them. Now all of a sudden we are supposed to worry about coal miners?

[-] 1 points by GirlFriday (17435) 12 years ago

You should have cared about that before.

[+] -6 points by DKAtoday (33802) from Coon Rapids, MN 12 years ago

Ya think any of them will actually do a year inside? If so will they get a party and a new job on their release?

Think we will here one of them say "I was just following orders" ?

It is long past time to get the owners to be responsible & accountable.

[-] 1 points by GirlFriday (17435) 12 years ago

I don't know. That is a 50/50 shot. Considering the current sentiment in society and the repeated violations, it may be time for them to do the time.

[+] -6 points by DKAtoday (33802) from Coon Rapids, MN 12 years ago

I understand OSHA fines are pretty low and restricted to the supervisors and working management.

Unless it is a gift from God pointing the way to abandoning Fossil Fuel. I don't think we will see a fair outcome. Unless it is being put out as a public pacifier.

[-] 1 points by GirlFriday (17435) 12 years ago

It's rare that it has gotten here. They could very well set it up so that the low guy on the totem pole takes the complete and total fall.

It could very well send the message that those good old boy days are over because information can be shared so readily and failure for scrutiny will net negative results.

[+] -7 points by DKAtoday (33802) from Coon Rapids, MN 12 years ago

One can hope.

[-] 1 points by GirlFriday (17435) 12 years ago

I don't know if there can be another mining disaster that they can walk away from so easily.

[+] -5 points by DKAtoday (33802) from Coon Rapids, MN 12 years ago

I am waiting to see what happens about that recent one with something like 23 or more deaths. That one should get the hammer if anything should. But again the owner will probably get nothing thrown at him.

[+] -6 points by DKAtoday (33802) from Coon Rapids, MN 12 years ago

It might be. The number of deaths fit. The article I saw earlier in the week talked about a fire in a mine ( and it sounded more recent I'm not sure now ) and that the supervisor had bypassed a couple of hundred safety regulations to streamline operations and speed up work. I'll have to see if I can find that article. There had been talk about more than one management person being involved I believe it mentioned three, then it said how low fines were and that the individuals would not likely face a harsh sentence. If this is the mine I am glad someone got nailed. I don't think it is enough and I don't think it should have been just the one found guilty.

[-] 1 points by GirlFriday (17435) 12 years ago

Neither the jury nor Judge Berger heard a detailed discussion of the theory at Stover’s trial. But the judge did hear about it during today’s sentencing hearing. MSHA coal administrator Kevin Stricklin testified about it, and former Upper Big Branch superintendent Gary May — who has entered a plea agreement and is cooperating with prosecutors — explained specifically how advance notices gave him the chance to temporarily fix safety problems before inspectors could catch them and demand a more comprehensive repair. That testimony — evidence that advance notifications were indeed a contributing cause of the disaster — was not challenged, either on cross-examination by defense lawyer Bill Wilmoth, additional questioning by the judge, or defense witnesses. Yet the judge choose to simply ignore it, pretend it wasn’t there — say she just didn’t buy it.


Wow.

[+] -6 points by DKAtoday (33802) from Coon Rapids, MN 12 years ago

I know. How sick. Lets get the scapegoat through the system. And the others have their cozy plea deals. Huh. Who would figure.

Don't get me wrong the guy is guilty it's just he is the low man on the poll he was not alone in this.

[-] 1 points by GirlFriday (17435) 12 years ago

Um........you did, three or four posts ago? :D

[+] -4 points by DKAtoday (33802) from Coon Rapids, MN 12 years ago

Oh sure throw that in my face ( kidding ). I can't help it if its transparent. I still can not believe the things some people get away with.

[-] 1 points by GirlFriday (17435) 12 years ago

And...by the time of sentencing to hear it, it is too late.

I can't believe it either.

[+] -5 points by DKAtoday (33802) from Coon Rapids, MN 12 years ago

See that is another glaring fuck-up with the justice system. Whats truly sick is that everyone knows it but they still maintain the fiction.

[-] 1 points by GirlFriday (17435) 12 years ago

Yep.