Feds Come Down Hard on Spill; BP’s $4.5 Billion Plea Includes Manslaughter...

we need one gutsy prosecutor and someone gets life in prison.

http://nationalparalegal.edu/public_documents/courseware_asp_files/criminalLaw/basicElements/ModelPenalCodeMensRea.asp

1. Purpose

A person acts purposefully (intentionally) if he acts with the intent that his action causes a certain result. In other words, the defendant undertakes his action either intending for, or hoping that, a certain result will follow.

2. Knowledge

A person acts knowingly if he is aware that his conduct will result in certain consequences. In other words, a person acts knowingly if he is aware that it is practically certain that his conduct will cause a specific result.

3. Recklessness

A person acts recklessly if he is aware of a substantial risk that a certain result will occur as a result of his actions. The risk must be substantial enough that the action represents a gross deviation from what a reasonable law abiding person would do.

The difference between recklessness and knowledge is that where a person acts knowingly he acts with the certainty that a certain result will follow from his actions. However, where a person acts recklessly, the person does not know for sure that a specific result will follow. Rather, he only knows that there is a substantial risk that the result will follow.

4. Negligence

A person acts negligently if they should have been aware of a substantial and unjustifiable risk that a certain consequence would result from their actions. Although the level of risk is the same for both recklessness and negligence, the difference between the two is that with recklessness, the actor must be aware of the risk involved with her actions, whereas, for negligence, the actor is not aware of the risks but should have known what those risks were. In other words, where Wilma sets the bomb off to go at 8:30, knowing that there is a risk that someone might get killed, she has acted recklessly. However, if for some reason, she doesn’t recognize that someone might get killed, she has acted negligently because a reasonable person would be aware that someone could get killed if they were to put a bomb on an airplane.

I went under oath on a case before it was going to court with the attorneys. defendents and plaintiffs . They were all trying to shuffle the blame until I pulled out proofs of their willful recklessness after being repeatedly warned.

They had done what they did with foreknowledge to cut costs and advance their careers. They were disregarding the pain they were causing until iot blew up in their face. As soon as the attorney for the plaintiffs sent tmy papers to be copied and they was passed around, defendents took one look, folded and settled immediately.

If only people would do their work with integrity and not avarice and venality, many things could be avoided, a lot of lives saved. BP has earned whatever is coming to them. They'll survive.

If Romney had been elected, this would not be happening. I look forward to seeing an continued cleansing of this corruption by corporations and others ruining the lives of others so they could play masters of the universe.

I think that is about the same as what these people did.

and did not require their lives back in order to participate in yacht races.

For an average American.

Check out Thom Hartmann's view of the punishment, posted earlier today:

Thom Hartmann: BP...How 'Big Oil' Got Away with Murder http://www.democraticunderground.com/101780648

I'm waiting....

When Louisiana or Texas gives the death penalty to BP and Exxon!

They didn't come down hard. This silly fine is a mere slap on the wrist!

For every year the solar system has existed.. coincidence? Hehehe

it's time for the entire upper echelon to go to jail for manslaughter or murder. I'm no lawyer and don't play one on teevee, but justice must be served.

Imagine that some guy from the inner city had killed a dozen people and caused billions of dollars in damage to the Gulf. Do you suppose he'd get off with a "tsk tsk" and a fine that amounts to a fraction of his annual earnings?

Bullshit!

& recommend.

really didnt come down on them very hard at all.

This is an ecological catastrophe beyond comprehension which not only caused the untimely deaths of 11 BP employees, but the death and damage to ecosystems in the gulf region for generations.

The monetary punative damages are a fucking joke.

reccing