Article
Chevron Reaches End of Torture Liability Suit
The Supreme Court…declined to review a decision in which Chevron dodged a lawsuit over the deaths of protesters who took over its oil rig off the coast of Nigeria in 1998. The decision not to disturb the case aligns with a finding the court made last week to not extend liability under the Torture Victim Protection Act to non-natural persons. On May 25, 1999, more than 100 others set off for an oil-drilling platform and an attached construction barge off operated by Chevron Nigeria…When members of the Nigerian Government Security Forces stormed the barge, they killed two and arrested many others, taking them back to land where they were allegedly tortured. Larry Bowoto, Bassey Jeje and the families of two killed protesters sued Chevron, and the case…went to trial before a federal jury…After the jury sided with Chevron on all claims, the 9th Circuit affirmed…