Buhbye PCA

While, all things considered, they never should have been in business in the first place... goodbye PCA, Peanut Corporation of America, the company that caused the salmonella outbreak through severe criminal negligence, has declared bankruptcy. The company filed chapter 7 and they will liquidate their assets. Better late than never I guess but there is some bad news here. According to Jean Halloran of Consumers Union:

PCA's declaration of bankruptcy will, among other things, shield it from liability suits filed by consumers who became sick or whose loved ones died as a result of eating PCA's peanut products.

The Chapter 7 filing does not protect the owners and other principles of the company however. Federal officials are considering criminal charges against the owner Stewart Parnell and others. If the the Feds don't charge them, then both Georgia and Texas are considering charges. While I am not a lawyer I would think, with the email trail and other information they have, manslaughter charges would be a slam dunk to prosecute. Parnell needs to do some serious time in the pokey and be barred from ever having anything to do with providing food to anyone or any thing.

As to the people damaged or killed by this food debacle, I would imagine all the manufacturers that used PCA products in theirs are covered by some kind of liability insurance and they are liable or negligent for at least some of this mess.