MASSEY MUST PAY-UP FOR "REPREHENSIBLE HARM"

(08/06/2007)

Brooke County Circuit Judge Martin Gaughan upheld a jury verdict awarding $100 million dollars in punitive damages to Wheeling-Pittsburgh Steel in a contract dispute with Massey Energy. He also largely upheld the award of $119.8 million dollars in actual damages to Wheeling-Pitt and awarded the steelmaker just over $24 million dollars in prejudgment interest. Gaughan ruled a reasonable relationship to the harm caused by the "reprehensible" behavior of Massey and its Central West Virginia Energy subsidiary. Massey Chief Executive Don Blankenship declined to comment. The Richmond, Virginia-based coal company has said it plans to appeal the case. The case is reportedly based on Massey not delivering on a coal contract with Wheeling-Pitt, instead selling the coal to other markets at a greater price.

Hur Herald ®from Sunny Cal The information on these pages, to the extent the law allows, remains the exclusive property of Bob Weaver and Dianne Weaver The Hur Herald. All information may be freely used but must not be sold or used in any type of commercial endeavor, or used on any web site without the express permission of the owners ©Bob and Dianne Weaver, The Hur Herald, 1999, 2000, 2001