Sanctioned Chevron Lawyers Violating New Court Order In Ecuador Environmental Trial

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Amazon Defense Coalition

Sanctioned Chevron Lawyers Violating New Court Order In Ecuador Environmental Trial
11/30/10 - 01:37 PM EST

LAGO AGRIO, Ecuador, Nov. 30, 2010 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The following was released today by the Amazon Defense Coalition: Chevron lawyers who were recently sanctioned for obstructing the Ecuador environmental trial where the company faces a potential $113 billion liability are defying yet another court order, according to court papers made available today.

Chevron is violating an order that it pay a $20,000 fee to a court-appointed expert requested by the oil giant to assess damages at eight Chevron well sites in Ecuador. Chevron faces the potential liability for causing what experts believe is the worst oil-related disaster on earth.

Chevron has admitted it discharged billions of gallons of toxic waste into Ecuador's rainforest when it operated a large oil concession from 1964 to 1990. Evidence provided by the plaintiffs shows that an area the size of Rhode Island has been poisoned and several indigenous groups have been decimated.

In violation of court orders, Chevron's lawyers are refusing to pay court expert Marcelo Munoz because his summaries of the scientific evidence from the Chevron well sites embarrassed the company by finding extensive contamination, according to lawyers for the plaintiffs.

Read more: http://www.thestreet.com/story/10934476/1/sanctioned-chevron-lawyers-violating-new-court-order-in-ecuador-environmental-trial.html