Brad: This was an exceptional show, especially the second hour with Desi and Bob Kincaid. The only question that was not raised that I felt should have been is the question of whether Blankenship should be tried for manslaughter. Certainly, such an effort would not have been unprecedented here in CA.

Consider this 1987 Los Angeles Times story:

When three San Diego construction workers died in trench collapses at beach area job sites in October, 1982, the business community got a rare shock.

Breaking from a tradition that made administrative fines and civil lawsuits the only punishment for industrial deaths, San Diego city prosecutors pressed criminal charges against the laborers' bosses.

If we had anything resembling accountability, Blankership would already have been frog marched in handcuffs.

JUST FYI, THE ARCHIVES OF LAST NIGHT'S CHAT ROOM IS UP ABOVE

Ernie - Thanks for the nice words. And yup, that was a good question that we didn't hit! Next time, if ya listen live, call us up with such things! I have a feeling we'll be revisiting that particular topic in the not-too-distant future however...

Unfortunately, Brad, I can't always be around to listen live. Did a little research.

In 1982 the CA Court of Appeal upheld an involuntary manslaughter conviction of a superintendent of the water reclamation plant of the City of Burbank which "lacked almost all of the safety equipment called for both by the city's own manual of operations and maintenance and by the state's safety regulations. Defendant had been warned of that lack over a substantial period."

People v Gaglione 138 CalApp.3d 152.

I am curious as to whether West Virginia has an involuntary manslaughter statute that is similar to CA's. Certainly you can see a stark parallel between they type of advance knowledge of the hazards posed by the Massey Energy mine and Blankenship's knowledge of both.

The kudos go to all three of you, DES, Bob Kincaid and BF. The depth of that segment was extraordinarily superb.

Brad:

The world's largest ponzi fraud is finally covered by the mainstream media (New York Post):

http://seminal.firedoglake.com/diary/40208