CHIEF JUSTICE MAYNARD RECUSES SELF AFTER PHOTOS MADE PUBLIC

(01/19/2008)

West Virginia Supreme Court Chief Justice Spike Maynard has agreed to step down from a case involving Massey Energy. The case involves the Supreme Court reversing a $76 million decision which was awarded Harman Coal, with a lower court ruling that Massey was guilty of illegal acts. Maynard helped form a 3-2 majority that overturned the judgment against Massey. Maynard has ruled in Massey's favor the last eight times cases have come before the court. The announcement came after 30 photos showed Maynard and Massey CEO Don Blankenship enjoying each others company in Monaco during a time when the case was before the high court. Hampshire County Circuit Judge Donald Cookman will replace Maynard in hearing a petition on January 24th that seeks to revisit the ruling. Maynard insists he's been impartial in the case(s). Harman Coal is also asking Justice Brent Benjamin to recuse himself, since Blankenship and Massey spent about $3 million getting Benjamin on the court through a political campaign called "For the Sake of the Children."

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