UM Grace Case

After a three-month trial, jurors deliberated for just one full day before acquitting W.R. Grace Co. and three of its executives Friday of all criminal charges.
The company and executives were accused of knowingly exposing residents and mine workers to toxic asbestos, a byproduct of the company’s vermiculite mine in Libby, Mont.
In closing the trial, Judge [...]

The day began promptly at 8:00 a.m., with counsel discussing the jury instructions. As the instructions were provided, each party stated its approval or its objections.  Parties must object to preserve their right to appeal. Consistent with its objections throughout the trial, the defense objected to: (1) the definition of asbestos; and (2) the lack of [...]

Defense attorneys put 4 witnesses on the stand and introduced 14+ exhibits this morning to demonstrate how W.R. Grace acted to reduce dust and asbestos exposure at the Libby mine and mill over the years of its operation by Grace.
First was Randy Geiger, environmental engineer for Grace, who testified to Grace’s continuing and successful efforts [...]

Judge Donald Molloy has not yet reached a decision on whether the testimony of Robert Locke can be included in the case, and his final judgment will not come until legal briefs are supplied by both sides, Molloy said during court Tuesday morning.
“I am not prepared to do it in the absence of knowing [...]

After lunch, the court addressed what Judge Molloy called the “Da Vinci Code,” a flowchart of sorts to aid the jury throughout the case. Molloy provided the following analogy for why he wanted to use the chart, “If you have ever sat in the cockpit of a plane, you know how different a Cub [...]