February trial set to decide fate of W.R. Grace for Libby asbestos tragedy

Nov 12, 2008

The case has already gone all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court to decide what the issues at trial will be, and finally the trial date has been set for the case against W.R. Grace and six of its executives for exposing residents of Libby, Montana to dangerous levels of asbestos, causing hundreds to die from asbestosis and mesothelioma. Presiding over 33 lawyers for Grace and its executives and just 3 federal and state prosecutors, the federal district judge announced that jury selection will begin on February 19, 2009.

Prosecutors will try to prove that Grace and six current and former executives knowingly endangering the residents of Libby by exposing them to asbestos-contaminated vermiculite ore from its nearby mine. A guilty verdict could mean a prison sentence of up to 55 to 70 years, and Grace could be fined up to $280 million, calculated as twice the company’s after-tax profits from the Libby mine. Estimates are that the criminal trial may take up to four months.

The judge has already ordered that Grace pay hundreds of millions to begin the environmental cleanup—which will be massive because asbestos-contaminated ore from the mine was used all over town as construction fill. Asbestos lies along roadways and under the school running track, as well as in and around hundreds of homes.

For the full story, go to the Seattle Post Intelligencer.

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