Blankenship on Trial: Prosecution Attempts to Get Blanchard Back on Track

After a week on the stand and nearly five days of cross examination by the defense, prosecutors are attempting to save their case set off track by former Performance Coal President Chris Blanchard. In this week’s episode of the podcast “Blankenship on Trial,” host Dave Mistich discusses Blanchard’s testimony with West Virginia Public Broadcasting’s Ashton Marra and Charleston attorney Mike Hissam. 

Blanchard repeatedly contradicted himself during cross examination and late Thursday morning, Assistant U.S. Attorney Steve Ruby attempted to recoup his case, first by pointing to sworn testimony Blanchard had given before a grand jury admitting to giving miners advanced notice of safety inspections and other safety infractions. 

While the defense chose a more deliberate, slow pace for their cross examination, Ruby intentionally sped up his questioning during his initial redirect, but later slowed as he began to work his way through dozens of documents essentially attempting to regain control of his witness.