Manslaughter charges possible for BP execs – Perjury filing also possible in Deepwater Horizon disaster
By PETE YOST
29 March 2011 Manslaughter and perjury are among possible charges that Justice Department investigators are exploring in the early stages of their probe into the Gulf oil spill, people familiar with the inquiry said Tuesday. These people said the Justice Department is not ruling out the possibility of bringing manslaughter charges against companies or managers responsible for the explosion aboard the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig that killed 11 workers. The department also is examining congressional testimony by company executives, including former BP CEO Tony Hayward, to determine whether their statements were untruthful, these people added. They cautioned that the investigation is still far from complete and spoke on condition of anonymity about the ongoing investigation. Justice Department spokeswoman Laura Sweeney declined to comment. …
