Galax, Virginia (Platts)--9Mar2012/346 pm EST/2046 GMT
The superintendent of the Upper Big Branch coal mine at the time of an April 2010 deadly underground explosion has agreed to plead guilty after being charged with conspiring to impede US Mine Safety and Health Administration enforcement prior to the accident. Gary May agreed to plead guilty in a Thursday filing with the US District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia in Charleston. But there is "no word yet on a plea hearing scheduling," Melvin Smith, a spokesman for US Attorney R. Booth Goodwin, said in a Friday email. Goodwin, the US attorney for the Southern District of West Virginia, on February 22 charged May with felony conspiracy related to actions taken between February 2008, when May began working at Upper Big Branch, and April 5, 2010, when the explosion took place. Article continues below... Request a free trial of: Coal Outlook Coal Outlook and Coal Trader provides daily vital strategic market intelligence on U.S. coal markets that keep the most successful coal executives up-to-date on who's buying, who's selling, and where the markets are heading. The mix of authoritative news coverage, accurate price assessments, and analytical commentary is essential reading for those who want to dictate events rather than merely follow them.
The superintendent of the Upper Big Branch coal mine at the time of an April 2010 deadly underground explosion has agreed to plead guilty after being charged with conspiring to impede US Mine Safety and Health Administration enforcement prior to the accident. Gary May agreed to plead guilty in a Thursday filing with the US District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia in Charleston. But there is "no word yet on a plea hearing scheduling," Melvin Smith, a spokesman for US Attorney R. Booth Goodwin, said in a Friday email. Goodwin, the US attorney for the Southern District of West Virginia, on February 22 charged May with felony conspiracy related to actions taken between February 2008, when May began working at Upper Big Branch, and April 5, 2010, when the explosion took place.
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Coal Outlook and Coal Trader provides daily vital strategic market intelligence on U.S. coal markets that keep the most successful coal executives up-to-date on who's buying, who's selling, and where the markets are heading. The mix of authoritative news coverage, accurate price assessments, and analytical commentary is essential reading for those who want to dictate events rather than merely follow them.
May was one of several Massey Energy personnel who exercised their Fifth Amendment rights against self-incrimination during investigations into the deadliest US coal mining accident in 40 years, according to investigation reports. A total of 29 miners died in the explosion.--Steve Hooks, steve_hooks@platts.com
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