Exxon Mobil ordered to pay Alabama $11.9 billion

[Beaker]

http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/topstory2/2222813

Nov. 14, 2003, 1:29PM

Exxon Mobil ordered to pay Alabama $11.9 billion
Associated Press

MONTGOMERY, Ala. -- A jury ordered Exxon Mobil Corp. to pay $11.9 billion in damages today after finding the oil giant had cheated the state of Alabama out of natural gas royalties.

The jury, which began deliberating Thursday, awarded $63.6 million in compensatory damages and $11.8 billion in punitive damages, a record in the state.

Jurors had to find Exxon Mobil committed fraud to return the multibillion-dollar verdict Alabama sought. If the damages are upheld on appeal, the money would go into state coffers.

"We felt Exxon thought they were going to get away with this," said jury foreman Joe King, a teacher. "We wanted to send a message that they were not, and that this corporation can't get away with doing wrong."

It'll probably get overturned or reduced on appeal...but I sure hope not.

[Cha]

1. Oh man! I saw that headline on my roadrunner

page and thought it said "enron"...and I was happy that the employees of enron were getting some dough.

[ozone_man]

9. I thought I heard Enron too. NPR news.

Could there be two cases going down at the same time?

[hang a left]

2. That is killer!! It does send a message. Don't plan on that amount

sticking. They will reduce the punitive damages. By how much? We will have to wait and see.

[teryang]

3. Who rules America?

They only paid a token amount for the Exxon Valdez diaster, why would they pay this?

[7th_Sephiroth]

4. 3 words

Rednecks With Shotguns

[teryang]

7. Thanks for the belly laugh

I really got a kick out that!

:kick:

[David Zephyr]

5. Meanwhile, Enron Hasn't Given California One Goddamned Nickel!

Hey fellow Californians, get mad!

[Blue_Tires]

6. do you really think

that even 1/3 of that settlement will ever get into the proper hands?

[ConcernedCanuk]

8. Oh dear - isn't OIL the BFEE's purview ?

. . why do I expect Jurors to die unexpectedly, and the Judge to be discredited ?

. . I hope I am wrong

. . but those "billionaire" companies don't 'zactly play by the rules !!