W. R. Grace / Libby, MT Trial Update
Judge Molloy has ruled that over 30 witnesses suffering from asbestos-related diseases can not sit in the courtroom during the W.R. Grace trial. The judge does not consider these people to be "crime victims", therefore they do not have the right to sit in the courtroom during the course of the trial.
W. R. Grace is arguing that a guilty verdict in the trial might jeopardize the centerpiece of Grace's bankruptcy reorganization plan: a $2.4 billion trust fund for people injured by the company's asbestos products.
This New York Times article contains a good summary of the history behind the Grace trial.
With the trial now under way, news reports claim that the government has made a strong case that Grace officials were well aware of the asbestos danger associated with the tremolite from the Libby mine.
For the latest news from the trial, click here.
The first week of April is now "National Asbestos Awareness Week,"
thanks to S.RES.57, a resolution passed by the U.S. Senate and
supported by the Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization (ADAO). The
move is designed to warn and educate Americans on the severe hazards of
asbestos exposure.