Smith Gambrell Russell Client Granted Acquittal on Clean Water Act Conspiracy Charge by the United States District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi

ATLANTA (February 27, 2024) – Smith, Gambrell & Russell, LLP (SGR) is pleased to share that in a criminal environmental prosecution in a two-week jury trial defended by SGR, among others, the United States District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi granted a judgment of acquittal on the Clean Water Act conspiracy charge and one other substantive Clean Water Act charge at the close of the Government’s case. Before trial, the trial court dismissed a third Clean Water Act charge following a Daubert hearing on a motion in limine.

After three days of deliberations, the Jury found SGR’s client guilty of two negligence misdemeanors (lesser included offenses) and deadlocked on the three remaining felony counts.

The investigation began in October 2016 with the 8-Count Indictment returned in March 2022 charging violations of the Clean Water Act and False Statements. The case was handled by SGR Partner Anthony L. Cochran, who is based in the Firm’s Atlanta office. His co-counsel were R. Andrew Taggart, Jr., of Ridgeland, Mississippi, Emily C. Ward of Atlanta, and Richard E. Glaze, Jr. of Atlanta. Mr. Cochran has tried dozens of jury trials in many areas of the law (both civil and criminal, federal and state), bench trials (in federal and state courts), administrative and regulatory hearings (before both federal and state agencies and boards), and medical peer review hearings at hospitals.

About Smith Gambrell Russell
SGR is a full-service, international law firm that advises regional, national and global businesses on a wide range of legal matters. The Firm’s nearly 400 attorneys provide legal counsel in more than 50 specialized practice areas, including corporate transactions, litigation, intellectual property, aviation, banking, real estate, insurance/reinsurance, construction, employment law, international, and employee benefits and executive compensation. Founded in 1893, SGR has 14 domestic and international offices, including Atlanta; Austin; Charlotte; Chicago; Jacksonville, FL; London; Los Angeles; Miami; Munich; New York; Southampton; Springfield, IL; Tampa, FL; and Washington, D.C.

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