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Alaska Governor Gives A Criminal Pardon To A Company
A Bellingham-based company convicted of criminally negligent homicide in the death of one of its workers, killed in an avalanche in 1999, was pardoned by former Gov. Frank Murkowski just days before he left office.Gary Stone, 46, was killed on a Whitewater Engineering job site outside Cordova, Alaska. In a Nov. 30 letter to Thom Fischer, Whitewater's president and owner, Murkowski said: "I recognize that criminal convictions against a company has serious implications for small businesses operating in Alaska." He said the criminal charges "seem to be excessive punishment." In his letter, Murkowski said his decision was based on "my view that this was a tragic accident caused by a snow avalanche in Alaska's harsh climate." "This is a huge slap on the face," said Stone's daughter, Jessica Ridinger, 30. The pardon, which the company requested, does not wipe the crime from the record. It may offer the company insurance breaks, legal experts said. Posted by: Anonymoose 2006-12-26 |
| http://www.rantburg.com/poparticle.php?ID=176133 |