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Murray battling HBO, N.Y. Times in court

ST. CLAIRSVILLE –St. Clairsville-based coal executive Robert Murray is suing HBO and its parent company Time Warner Inc., as well as the New York Times, over what he claims are “false and defamatory statements” made about him, his company and the coal industry as a whole.

Murray serves as chairman, president and CEO of Murray Energy Corp., which employs thousands of coal miners through subsidiaries such as the Century Mine, the Ohio County Mine and the Marshall County Mine. He filed the suit against HBO after the Sunday broadcast of “Last Week Tonight,” hosted by comedian John Oliver.

During the show, Oliver said Murray looked like a “geriatric Dr. Evil” and said the company had fought against coal safety regulations. The segment ended with someone dressed in a squirrel costume entering the stage. The person in the squirrel outfit then held up a giant check made out for “three acorns and 18 cents” that was said could be used to pay a settlement in the lawsuit that Murray already had discussed with HBO.

“The false and defamatory statements in this broadcast severely and destructively impact Mr. Murray, and all of Murray Energy, particularly our mines in the state of West Virginia, where we are the largest coal mining employer in the state, as well as coal mining itself, one of the primary foundations of that state’s economy,” a statement provided by Murray spokesman Gary Broadbent reads.

In a statement, HBO officials said they have confidence in those who run the show at “Last Week Tonight,” and do not believe anything in the show violated Murray’s rights.

Murray also is suing the New York Times, claiming the newspaper published an article that implied the company was at fault for the August 2007 Crandall Canyon Mine disaster in Utah, which ultimately led to the death of nine people.

“Data shows that the triggering event for the 2007 mine collapse was what is commonly understood as an earthquake, consistent with Mr. Murray’s understanding,” Murray’s statement regarding the newspaper article reads.

In its court filing seeking to have the lawsuit dismissed, the New York Times, via its counsel, states the company’s editorial is “protected by the First Amendment.”

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