Not Guilty on Two Counts and Conviction on a Misdemeanor Count in CEO's Case Following Deadly Mining Accident

It is interesting to see the headlines from the NYTimes - Former Massey Energy C.E.O. Guilty in Deadly Coal Mine Blast and Politico - Coal baron convicted for mine safety breaches.  Both headlines focus on the conviction of the CEO.  The Wall Street Journal headline says - Jury Convicts Former Massey CEO Don Blankenship of Conspiracy - but does say in smaller print below this headline "Former executive found not guilty of securities-related charges after deadly West Virginia mining accident."

Yes, it is important to note that a CEO was convicted here of workplace related safety violations and this was after a deadly accident.  But what is also important is that CEO Blankenship was found not guilty of the serious charges that he initially faced.  What started as a 43 page indictment by the government (see here), ended as a misdemeanor conviction on one count.  William W. Taylor, III of Zuckerman Spaeder LLP was the lead on this defense team.   

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