CHARLESTON, W.Va. — A federal judge will determine whether U.S. Attorney Booth Goodwin and his staff have a conflict of interest in prosecuting the water-contamination emergency criminal case.
U.S. District Judge Thomas Johnston scheduled a hearing for Jan. 5 to entertain a motion filed by the attorneys representing former Freedom Industries president Gary Southern. They claim a conflict of interest because Goodwin, his staff and their families were personally impacted by the water crisis.
Goodwin previously said he’ll fight the motion.
Southern is one of four former Freedom executives named this week in federal indictments in connection with the Jan. 9 spill of MCHM into the Elk River in Charleston and the water emergency that followed.