European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - June 14, 1994, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Tuesday june 14, 1994 . The stars and stripes Page 7 jury blames Exxon Captain for Oil spill that stained Alaska Anchorage Alaska a a Federal jury decided monday that recklessness by the Exxon corp. And capt. Joseph Hazelwood was to blame for the 1989 Exxon Valdez Oil spill. The verdict Means the plaintiffs in the Case a More than 10,000 commercial fishermen Alaska natives and property owners a May pursue an estimated $15 billion in punitive damages from Exxon and Hazelwood for the nations worst Oil spill. The jury which deliberated for More than four Days had to find the defendants acted recklessly before plaintiffs could be eligible to collect punitive damages. The Dollar value assessed As punishment for Exxon and Hazelwood will be determined by the same panel in a later phase of the litigation. That phase is expected to begin next month. A separate lawsuit is still pending in state court. Hazelwood was recently dropped As a plaintiff in that suit. Exxon chairman Lee Raymond said he was disappointed by the jury a decision. In a statement he called the spill a a tragic Accident which impacted the lives of Many alaskans. A a for that we Are truly  but he said the next phase of the trial will show that Exxon has already spent so much to make up for the spill that no punitive damages should be awarded. So far Exxon says it has paid More than $3 billion to clean up the spill and to Settle lawsuits with the state and Federal governments. . District judge h. Russel Holland read the Federal jury a verdict monday. The Hull of the Exxon Valdez was shredded when it ran aground on Bligh reef just after Midnight March 24, 1989, dumping nearly 11 million Gallons of North slope crude into Prince William sound. Oil from the spill coated about 1,500 Miles of coastline and killed thousands of Birds and Marine mammals. Plaintiffs entered their recklessness Case on two key contentions a that Hazelwood was drunk on duty when the spill occurred and that Exxon had known for years the Captain had a serious drinking problem but nonetheless left him in command of Oil tankers. The plaintiffs said Hazelwood wrongly left an inexperienced officer third mate Greg cousins in charge of navigating the Tanker through hazardous ice conditions. Defense lawyers admitted that Hazelwood had had a few drinks in Valdez but they said alcohol had nothing to do with the wreck. They instead blamed the grounding on cousins saying he failed to carry out a simple turn command ordered by Hazelwood before the Captain left the tankers Bridge to tend to other business. During the trials punitive phase cousins testified that he Felt competent to execute the steering command and was at a loss to explain Why it Wasny to done. Abc restaurant c ners in a Pinch Over to Ster Boston a was it cruelty to crustaceans or a taste of gourmet cooking animal rights activists Are in a Stew Over the dismemberment and sauteing of a live Lobste r on no cd a today show. The dish was lobster Fra diabolo sicilian style prepared by chef Ger Aldo Andrade at the Boston seafood restaurant the daily catch. Today show Host Katie Courie looked away As Andrade pulled off the lobsters claws chopped off its Tail removed its innards sliced the upper body in half and threw the pieces into a hot frying pan with Olive Oil and Gar lie. A a what a Way to go a Couric exclaimed. The pieces twitched for several seconds in the pan. That Wasny to due to pain said Barbara Boltz an associate professor of biology at Wellesley College just a reflexive reaction of the Muscles to the heat of the pan. The May 18 episode reignited de Bate Over the most humane Way to kill lobsters a or whether they should be killed and eaten at All. A both the chef and the owner of the restaurant. Were just chillingly desensitized throughout this whole process there was not a clue that there was any cruelty taking place a said Michael Giannelli director of the Ark Trust an animal rights group based in Sherman Oaks Calif. The group asked Abc producers for an apology a a if a life is taken there should be a Good cause for it a Giannelli said. The organization people for the ethical treatment of animals based in Rockville my plans to sue restaurant owners Maria and Paul Freddura for cruelty to animals said Mary Beth Sweetland petals director of investigations. She said Peta has wanted to sue seafood chefs for cruelty before but was hindered by a Lack of proof. Quot we be never had videotaped evidence a she said. A people read you just did you can now advertise your products events and services to 150,000 daily readers at incredibly Low rates. This Adlor example can Cost you As Little As $51.72. 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