Former coal baron Donald Blankenship was sentenced April 6 to a year in prison for evading mine safety rules in one of the final chapters of a fatal mine explosion that was the worst U.S. coal industry accident in almost 40 years (United States v. Blankenshipsentencing).
Judge Irene C. Berger also fined the ex-Massey Energy chief executive officer $250,000 and denied his request to remain free during appeal. Berger ordered Blankenship to report to prison as soon as the Federal Bureau of Prisons orders him to.
It is likely the bureau of prisons will assign him to a ...