By Associated Press
Birmingham, AL – A federal court jury in Birmingham will resume deliberations Thursday in a lawsuit that the families of three slain union leaders in Colombia filled against Alabama-based Drummond coal. The jury met briefly Wednesday afternoon and then recessed until 9 a.m. Thursday.
In closing arguments Wednesday in Birmingham, a lawyer for the families asked jurors to make the company pay for the union leaders' killings by the paramilitary gunmen in Colombia. The families say Drummond gave the paramilitaries safe haven on company property and provided them with gasoline.
A company attorney told jurors that Drummond did not have any ties to paramilitaries and did not have any role in the killings. Attorney Bill Jeffress said Drummond is a large, rich company, but it is not a murderer.
Jeffress also disputed claims that Drummond's top officer in Colombia made threats toward complaining union members several times.
(Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)