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BP and Three Executives Facing Criminal Charges Over Oil Spill
New submitter SleazyRidr writes "Finally some news that will please a lot of the Slashdot crowd: a company has been charged with manslaughter! BP has been charged with manslaughter following the Macondo Incident. 'BP has agreed to pay $4.5 billion to settle the criminal charges and related Securities and Exchange Commission charges.' Two of the rig supervisors and a BP executive are also facing jail time. The supervisors are charged with 'failing to alert on-shore managers at the time they observed clear signs that the Macondo well was not secure and that oil and gas were flowing into the well,' and the supervisor is charged with 'obstruction of Congress and making false statements to law enforcement officials about the amount of oil flowing from the well.' Is this the start of companies being forced to take responsibility for their actions?"
You can settle criminal charges with a load of cash? That doesn't seem right to me.
What doesn't kill you only delays the inevitable
A few states, such as Australia and the UK have such a thing as corporate manslaughter. Not every murderer acts on his own initiative, sometimes he has his employer's interests at heart. UK version
When "BP" has to spend 180 days in prison like a regular person convicted of manslaughter then I'll believe it.
I'd settle for a fine equal to 180 days gross revenue (effectively the same).
With over $150 Billion in equity* it's a laughable settlement considering the gross negligence BP should be cited for.
[*] - http://www.bp.com/extendedsectiongenericarticle.do?categoryId=9021229&contentId=7039276
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