High court splits, 5-4, finding 'risk of actual bias' by W.Va. justice who got campaign funds
A sharply divided U.S. Supreme Court yesterday ruled that a West Virginia State Supreme Court justice should not have participated in a case involving his largest campaign contributor.
By a 5-4 vote, the court sent the case involving coal company owner Hugh Caperton and Massey Energy back to the West Virginia Supreme Court, which overturned a 2002 lower court verdict ordering Massey to pay Mr. Caperton $50 million in damages.
Casting the deciding vote in the state court's 3-2 decision was Chief Justice Brent Benjamin, who received $3 million in campaign contributions from Massey CEO Don Blankenship.
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http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/09160/976034-84.stm#ixzz0HzF7ceS0&C