Judge Postpones Exxon Criminal Trial on Oil Spill
Attorneys for Exxon Corp. and its shipping company have convinced a federal judge that criminal charges stemming from the nation’s largest oil spill are too complicated to be heard as soon as June 18.
U.S. District Judge H. Russel Holland has postponed the trial indefinitely.
The June 18 date was chosen to comply with the federal speedy trial rule, which requires cases to be heard within a certain time following indictment.
Exxon and Exxon Shipping Co. are charged with two felonies and three misdemeanors.
Felony counts accuse the company of allowing an incompetent crew to operate the Exxon Valdez on March 23 and 24, 1989. The misdemeanor counts are for alleged violations of the federal Clean Water, Refuse and Migratory Bird Treaty acts.
Motions filed by Exxon attorneys argue that most of the charges have not been used in oil spill situations.
Holland agreed. In a motion signed last week, he said Exxon demonstrated “that this prosecution involves novel questions of fact and law, and that there is an extraordinary volume of data to be digested by both the government and Exxon.”
Holland asked prosecutors and defense attorneys to propose a new trial date by June 11.
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