On Friday, September 19, 2014, brothers Stewart and Michael Parnell were taken to the Crisp County Jail in Cordele, Georgia. After conviction last week on multiple counts of mail fraud and other felonies in relation to the 2008 Salmonella outbreak linked to PCA peanut butter, they did not post secured bail. Mary Wilkerson, who was convicted on one count of obstruction of justice, was not jailed. Attorney Fred Pritzker, who represented clients in a lawsuit against PCA, said about Stewart Parnell, "If anybody deserved it, he did. I am not at all surprised he was found guilty given the evidence against him. I don't view Parnell's conduct as any different than poisoning people or drunk driving. My strong suspicion is that this happens much more often than is known." Stewart Parnell was … [Read more...]
Peanut Corporation of America Executives Convicted
A federal jury has convicted Stewart Parnell, Michael Parnell, and Mary Wilkerson in connection with a Salmonella outbreak linked to their company's peanut butter. That outbreak sickened at least 700 people in 46 states and killed nine. The jury was not allowed to consider the deaths from the contaminated product in their deliberations. Stewart Parnell was found guilty on 76 felony counts of mail fraud, introduction of adulterated food into commerce, wire fraud, and conspiracy; Michael Parnell was found guilty on 30 counts of wire fraud, mail fraud, and intro ducting misbranded products into interstate commerce; and Wilkerson was found guilty on one count of obstruction of justice. The Parnell brothers could go to prison for their set of their lives. Wilkerson could face up to 10 years … [Read more...]
Fred Pritzker Reacts to PCA Indictments
The U.S. Department of Justice issued indictments against several officials of the Peanut Corporation of America today. That facility was linked to a 2009 Salmonella outbreak that sickened more than 700 people in this country and killed nine. “The decision to prosecute Peanut Corporation of America officers and employees responsible for the deadly Salmonella outbreak in 2009 is an important and long overdue step towards improving food safety in the United States,” according to Fred Pritzker, president of the national food safety law firm, Pritzker Hageman, who represented several of the injury and death victims harmed by PCA products. “My clients are ecstatic that the wrongdoers responsible for this food safety debacle are finally going to be held accountable by the criminal justice … [Read more...]
