BP faces EPA criminal probe into Alaska oil spill: WSJ News
BP faces EPA criminal probe into Alaska oil spill: WSJ

[JURIST] The Environmental Protection Agency [official website] is conducting a criminal investigation into management by British Petroleum [corporate website] of oil pipelines in Alaska, according to a report [registration required] in Thursday's Wall Street Journal. A corroded pipeline owned by the company spilled an estimated 134,000 to 267,000 gallons of crude oil in March, the largest spill ever in Alaskan history [BBC report]. The EPA's criminal investigation division [backgrounder] is looking into potential violations of the Clean Water Act [text]. The US Attorney's Office for the District of Alaska [official website] would prosecute any violation of the Clean Water Act.

The EPA probe comes as BP is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation [official website] into a refinery accident last year that killed 15 people and wounded 170. Reuters has more.

THIS DAY @ LAW

Susan B. Anthony voted illegally in a US federal election

On November 5, 1872, women's rights advocate Susan B. Anthony illegally cast her vote in a New York Congressional district election. Read the indictment subsequently brought against her and the transcript of her address to the jury. Anthony was fined $100 after a directed verdict.

Saddam Hussein sentenced to death

On November 5, 2006, the former President of Iraq, Saddam Hussein was sentenced to death by hanging for crimes against humanity during his time in office. The execution took place on the following December 30. Learn more about the trial of Saddam Hussein from the U.S. Library of Congress.