29 W.V. families settle in Upper Big Branch deaths

In April 2010, Michelle McKinney talks to the media in Naoma, W.Va. McKinney's father, Benny Willingham, 61, was killed in an explosion at Massey Energy's Upper Big Branch Coal Mine.

[Well]

I don't understand why the families say their loved ones lives don't have a price tag, that's why they didn't take the original settlement of 3 mill. But they accepted whatever amount this top secret settlement was worth. It has to have been much higher than the original 3 mil, high enough to buy the families out to change their mind on the price of their loved ones heads.

[The only Justice]

The only justice for these families will be when Don Blankenship's fat, corrupt ass is in prison for murdering their husbands, sons, and fathers. So dont judge! I've said that if the DEP would have went in the mines before it exploded and shut it down for all the violations, that SOME of wives would have been out there on a picket line and signs that read "LET OUR HUSBANDS GO BACK TO WORK!" and "THE DEP TAKES FOOD FROM OUR TABLES" But, never the less, their loved ones were sacrificed for the greed of a corporation that will always drain the blood from us here on Coal River, and EVERYONE that caused this tragedy should pay one way or another for it. It's a damn shame that a friggin security guard is the fall guy. Those families now need to focus on the criminal issues of their loved ones death, and MAKE SOME HEADS ROLL! Go get 'em families! I hope every greedy son of a bitch that hid those violations get exactly what they deserve.

[agree]

The only Justice wrote:

The only justice for these families will be when Don Blankenship's fat, corrupt ass is in prison for murdering their husbands, sons, and fathers. So dont judge! I've said that if the DEP would have went in the mines before it exploded and shut it down for all the violations, that SOME of wives would have been out there on a picket line and signs that read "LET OUR HUSBANDS GO BACK TO WORK!" and "THE DEP TAKES FOOD FROM OUR TABLES" But, never the less, their loved ones were sacrificed for the greed of a corporation that will always drain the blood from us here on Coal River, and EVERYONE that caused this tragedy should pay one way or another for it. It's a damn shame that a friggin security guard is the fall guy. Those families now need to focus on the criminal issues of their loved ones death, and MAKE SOME HEADS ROLL! Go get 'em families! I hope every greedy son of a bitch that hid those violations get exactly what they deserve.

I agree! I'm sure the families toiled with the decision to settle. I hope Don's bastard-ass murdering ugly mug is put in jail. That will be justice! And to all the Massey guys who took the 5th, what the hell are they hiding? Criminal prosecutions the only way to go!

[My thoughts]

Well wrote:

I don't understand why the families say their loved ones lives don't have a price tag, that's why they didn't take the original settlement of 3 mill. But they accepted whatever amount this top secret settlement was worth. It has to have been much higher than the original 3 mil, high enough to buy the families out to change their mind on the price of their loved ones heads.

There is not enough money to pay for loosing your family. I may be wrong but it sounds like you may be a little jealous of the fact they are getting money. I personally hope they bankrupt that Massey and all they stand for. Nothing can ever replace the damage done to all those familys. My prayers go out for them. God blessevery one of them.
That company took a beautiful area in WVa and made it look like an eisore.

[Super Woman]

The only Justice wrote:

The only justice for these families will be when Don Blankenship's fat, corrupt ass is in prison for murdering their husbands, sons, and fathers. So dont judge! I've said that if the DEP would have went in the mines before it exploded and shut it down for all the violations, that SOME of wives would have been out there on a picket line and signs that read "LET OUR HUSBANDS GO BACK TO WORK!" and "THE DEP TAKES FOOD FROM OUR TABLES" But, never the less, their loved ones were sacrificed for the greed of a corporation that will always drain the blood from us here on Coal River, and EVERYONE that caused this tragedy should pay one way or another for it. It's a damn shame that a friggin security guard is the fall guy. Those families now need to focus on the criminal issues of their loved ones death, and MAKE SOME HEADS ROLL! Go get 'em families! I hope every greedy son of a bitch that hid those violations get exactly what they deserve.

You make many valid points. Sadly in our area coal is king. Keep in mind, there was once a time when a mule was worth more than a man in the mines. A mine owner had to buy a mule, but a man would be replaced by some other poor man who was desperate for a job. Men worked in those mines for not money but script which was only good at a company owned store, with hyper inflated prices. Until the people change, coal will always be king.

[Well]

My thoughts wrote:

<quoted text>
There is not enough money to pay for loosing your family. I may be wrong but it sounds like you may be a little jealous of the fact they are getting money. I personally hope they bankrupt that Massey and all they stand for. Nothing can ever replace the damage done to all those familys. My prayers go out for them. God blessevery one of them.
That company took a beautiful area in WVa and made it look like an eisore.

Sorry but you are wrong. I am not jealous. And for you to say that you hope those 29 families bankrupt massey(actually its alpha natural resources) is very ignorant. What about the men that currently work for alpha, like my brother, who would be out of a job if the money hungry UBB families try to take the company for MORE money than what theyre getting? He has two young kids and a wife to support. You'd be surprised how many coal miners actually share the same opinion as me. Yes, it's sad, those men didnt deserve to die, and everyone in the state and country grieved with those families, but don't you agree it was quite hypocritical of them to say that 3 million wasn't enough money for them because you can't put a price tag on their loved ones, but then all of a sudden whatever amount this new settlement was worth changed their minds.

[Just sick49]

Well wrote:

I don't understand why the families say their loved ones lives don't have a price tag, that's why they didn't take the original settlement of 3 mill. But they accepted whatever amount this top secret settlement was worth. It has to have been much higher than the original 3 mil, high enough to buy the families out to change their mind on the price of their loved ones heads.

I don't understand how anyone of those families could accept the money from that damn Blankenship..if it were my man that had been in that mine..I could not take money for his life..no ammount of money could replace him or the memories we have made in all these years..I think I would rather starve as take a DAMN cent from them!!!

[WOW]

this is without a doubt the dumbest comment i have ever read, yes it is very sad these 29 men lost their lives and their families lost them but these families are the reason these guys worked so they could support their families, so the fact being the coal company is responsible for their deaths, i think its only right the families should accept this money. as for you not accepting it you should be thankful you still have your loved one, i am sure any of these families would give you their money in exchange for their loved one to be back with them. get over it.

[wondering]

The only Justice wrote:

The only justice for these families will be when Don Blankenship's fat, corrupt ass is in prison for murdering their husbands, sons, and fathers. So dont judge! I've said that if the DEP would have went in the mines before it exploded and shut it down for all the violations, that SOME of wives would have been out there on a picket line and signs that read "LET OUR HUSBANDS GO BACK TO WORK!" and "THE DEP TAKES FOOD FROM OUR TABLES" But, never the less, their loved ones were sacrificed for the greed of a corporation that will always drain the blood from us here on Coal River, and EVERYONE that caused this tragedy should pay one way or another for it. It's a damn shame that a friggin security guard is the fall guy. Those families now need to focus on the criminal issues of their loved ones death, and MAKE SOME HEADS ROLL! Go get 'em families! I hope every greedy son of a bitch that hid those violations get exactly what they deserve.

was wondering why they would go after a guard that had nothing to do with inside the mines, and let the ones who were at fault go for the terrible thing that happen.And everyone is so happy about it, someone went to jail and we got our money so we are all happy now, my god get the real ones who are at fault in this matter.

[wondering]

WOW wrote:

this is without a doubt the dumbest comment i have ever read, yes it is very sad these 29 men lost their lives and their families lost them but these families are the reason these guys worked so they could support their families, so the fact being the coal company is responsible for their deaths, i think its only right the families should accept this money. as for you not accepting it you should be thankful you still have your loved one, i am sure any of these families would give you their money in exchange for their loved one to be back with them. get over it.

I agree that these familys should have gotten their money but to send someone to prison that didnt even have anything to do with the inside of a mines was very stupid,my heart goes out to these familys, but wake up people dont close eyes to the truth.

[To well]

I would love for u to put ur real name out there.. Money hungry Ubb families.. Untill you feel there loss or half of what the pain they go through just be happy that ur brother is alive and able to see his kids grow up.. Show me all these coal miners that feel the same as ur stupid ass does

[simple truth]

i agree these families deserve every penny they get from this coal company because the family these 29 men left behind deserve it. i believe this explosion could have been prevented, its not as if these violations occured the day of the explosion, massey energy was always in the news paper or the 11:oo o'clock news for several years for their disreguard and failure to obey rules and regulations. yes several times msha threatened to shut a mine down if they did not obey rules and regulations but it always seemed to get swept under the rug. how many times did we read pattern of violations, failure to obey rules and regulations, and disrespect for the community? after the explosion several workers came forth saying massey energy continually broke the laws, why did they wait so long to step up? i can remember when massey members thought they were the greatest thing to ever happen to w.v. coal and many times members and wives praising massey as being so great they did so by sending their written articles to the local news papers to be printed so everyone could read it.

[A miner who agrees]

To well wrote:

I would love for u to put ur real name out there.. Money hungry Ubb families.. Untill you feel there loss or half of what the pain they go through just be happy that ur brother is alive and able to see his kids grow up.. Show me all these coal miners that feel the same as ur stupid ass does

I am a alpha miner and I happen to agree with "well" they made some good points what if these families had decided whatever settlement they ended up getting wasn't enough and they wanted MORE MORE MORE until the company went bankrupt.

[enoughisenough]

I wonder how many miners that obnoxious Whitesville memorial could have kept employed.

[enoughisenough]

sorry for double post, damn isp