[JURIST] An Indonesian court Tuesday acquitted American Richard Ness [defense website], the regional chief executive of Denver-based Newmont Mining Corporation [corporate website; JURIST news archive], and Newmont's local subsidiary of criminal pollution charges [JURIST report]. Ness and Newmont were accused of dumping arsenic and mercury into the waters of Indonesia's Buyat Bay. Prosecutors had requested a three-year prison term [JURIST report] for Ness and $110,000 fine against Newmont. According to Newmont's press release [PDF text] "the court held that Buyat Bay is not polluted. It further found, as PTNMR contended, that the company was in compliance with all regulations and permits during its eight years of operations from 1996 to 2004."

Newmont settled a civil suit [JURIST report] brought by the Indonesian government last year. Bloomberg has more.