Alien Tort Trial Starts in Alabama

Well, at least it is scheduled to start today in federal court in Birmingham, as the Wall Street Journal reports here. The claims alleged by plaintiffs are that Drummond Co. — a privately held US-based mining company– collaborated with Colombian paramilitary members in the deaths of three union organizers at a Drummond mine in Colombia in 2001. If it proceeds, it will be the first Alien Tort Claims Act (or ATS) case to go to trial. Drummond has hired the always-impressive William Jeffress as defense counsel. The plaintiffs — family members of the slain organizers — are represented by lawyers from the International Labor Rights Fund and the United Steel Workers.

For more background on the case, see this 2003 WSJ article.