CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) — Investigators say Don Blankenship’s retirement as head of Massey Energy won’t interfere with him testifying this month in a state and federal investigation of the nation’s worst coal mine disaster since 1970.
Blankenship has been subpoenaed to appear in Beckley on Dec. 14 to answer questions about April’s explosion at Massey’s Upper Big Branch mine that killed 29 miners.
Other Massey employees have refused to testify, citing their 5th Amendment rights.
State mining director C.A. Phillips said Saturday he doesn’t see Blankenship’s Dec. 31 retirement changing an agreement that he will answer the subpoena.
C. Davitt McAteer heads a special investigation into the April 5 explosion. He says the investigation is about the accident, not Blankenship.
