This case came to my attention from David E. Roth at Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP in Birmingham, Alabama:
This is a synopsis of the US v. Canal Barge case decided January 7, 2011.
A barge owned by Canal Barge developed a benzene leak while travelling down the Mississippi River. The leak was initially sealed with an epoxy patch that subsequently failed. Following the failure, the leak was reported and the ship was towed to an Indiana fleeting area for repair. Two years after the incident, the US indicted the boat owner and various individuals alleging: (1) conspiracy to violate the Ports and Waterways Safety Act (