Defence seeks mistrial in case against former BP drilling engineer
by The Associated Press
Attorneys argued prosecutor's questioning of witness amounted to injecting unsupported accusations
NEW ORLEANS—Attorneys for a former BP drilling engineer have asked the judge in the case to declare a mistrial.
In a filing this week, Kurt Mix’s attorneys argued a prosecutor’s questioning of a witness amounted to injecting unsupported accusations of misconduct against Mix.
A hearing on the request for a mistrial is set to go before United States District Judge Stanwood Duval Jr.
Mix is charged with obstruction of justice.
Prosecutors say he deleted text messages and voicemails about the company’s response to its massive 2010 oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.
The questioning of witness Wilson Arabie centred on allegations Mix ordered copies of spill-related documents for improper purposes.
Defence attorneys say an earlier court order precluded prosecutors from raising the document-copying issue.
