Chevron Launches RICO Trial Over $18 Billion Ecuador Verdict Tuesday

[Zorro]

Chevron is scheduled to begin a racketeering trial against New York attorney Steven Donziger on Tuesday, including potentially devastating new evidence from a lawyer who quit in disgust after discovering the tactics Donziger used to win an $18 billion verdict in Ecuador.

Jeffrey Shinder, an antitrust lawyer with Constantine Cannon better known for his multibillion-dollar settlements with credit-card companies, is likely to testify about how he felt “physically ill” after learning that consultants hired by Donziger had largely written a report an Ecuador judge relied upon to assess damages in the environmental suit.

In a June deposition, Shinder said he was “deeply disturbed” by Donziger’s involvement in what was supposed to be an independent report on pollution damage in the jungles of Ecuador, and immediately removed himself from the case.

“If you have an independent expert who is being proffered to justify a significant, you know, damage finding against a major corporation,” Shinder said under questioning from Chevron’s lawyers, “if his independence is compromised in a way — in a way that was, you know, not disclosed, not transparent I think that’s per se improper. That was my own subjective view of it. It was not a close call.”

http://www.forbes.com/sites/danielfisher/2013/10/11/chevron-launches-rico-trial-over-18-billion-ecuador-verdict-tuesday/

[FreakinDJ]

1. Chevron wins every time in America

Ecuador not so much

[Link Speed]

2. "Chevron launches RICO trial"?

Well, just. fuck. me.

Is this not the most ironic header, ever?

Next thing you know, Union Carbide will sue Bhopal for offering sub-standard living conditions for their workers.

[Socialistlemur]

4. Looks like they are accusing Ecuador's head lawyer of corrupting the law

This is a very serious charge. Remember the case is based on a report which according to this complaint was tainted by collusion. This means the case against Chevron is tainted.

I happen to have investigated that region in Ecuador in the past, as early as 1982, and I saw quite a few abuses, but the government and Petroecuador seemed to be complicit. The legal case is weakened by the fact that both Petroecuador and the government released Texaco and agreed they had remedied any damages. The area was taken over by Petroecuador, which has lets say a very cavalier attitude towards environmental protection (at least this is what I observed during my last trip). Therefore one issue which doesn't seem to be discussed in the press is the potential Petroecuador liability when they happen to have been operating the area for about 20 years, and signed documents which approved Texaco's clean up.

Whatever one thinks about Texaco's culture the legal case Ecuador presented is really unraveling.

[bemildred]

3. They are just scared to death of that precedent down there in Ecuador.

The very idea of having to pay for all the shit they have fucked up on the planet to better serve themselves just freaks them all out.

[Socialistlemur]

5. I don't think it's just the precedent.

Ecuador has lofty money demands in this case. Just the sums they are asking for are sufficient to justify the stiffest defense. This is more so when we consider the legal merits.

By the way, I saw a video showing Ecuador's lawyers briefing witnesses before the trial, and the briefing was somewhat unethical. I assume those videos will also be shown during this trial.

I would like to clarify I didn't like Texaco when it existed. I don't have a particular slant against Chevron because I never investigated them. But lets say Texaco wasn't my favorite and I was glad to see them disappear when chevron bought them. My personal dislike doesn't mean I would compromise my opinion about this case. I think Chevron is going to win.

[bemildred]

6. I do, this is peanuts to them, this is Chevron, formerly Standard Oil.

"lofty money demands"
Maybe to you or me.