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Prosecutor: Plant owner OK’d tainted peanut sales

By WTOP Staff

RUSS BYNUM
Associated Press

ALBANY, Ga. (AP) — The owner of a Georgia peanut plant where a deadly salmonella outbreak originated five years ago approved sales of tainted food “whatever the risk,” including shipments known to have tested positive for the bacteria and others sent with fake lab results and no real confirmation the products were safe to eat, a prosecutor told jurors during closing arguments in the food-poisoning trial Thursday.

Former Peanut Corporation owner Stewart Parnell and two co-defendants have been on trial in U.S. District Court since Aug. 1. Prosecutors spent four hours before court adjourned Thursday summing up a case that required more than five weeks of testimony from nearly 50 witnesses, plus an estimated 1,000 documents including company emails, sales records and lab analysis reports.

Defense attorneys were scheduled to argue their final case to jurors Friday. Then it will be the jury’s turn to decide whether the defendants committed crimes that led to one of the largest food recalls in U.S. history. Investigators concluded nine people died from salmonella lurking in food traced back to the company’s plant in rural Blakely, and 714 got sick. Experts say it’s the first time food processors have been tried in federal court in a food poisoning case.

Prosecutors say Parnell and his brother, food broker Michael Parnell, shipped peanuts and peanut butter they knew had tested positive for salmonella to customers that used them as ingredients in products from peanut butter crackers to pet food. The Parnell brothers are also charged with faking lab results for salmonella and other contaminants so they wouldn’t have to wait for real testing.

In his closing statement, Assistant U.S. Attorney Alan Dasher repeatedly quoted an email Stewart Parnell sent in March 2007 after a subordinate asked about a shipment that was delayed while the rural Georgia plant awaited lab results. “(Expletive), just ship it,” Parnell wrote. “I cannot afford to (lose) another customer.”

“It was Stewart Parnell’s and his company’s mission statement to ‘just ship it’ — ship the product regardless of whether you know it’s safe or not, or if you know it’s not safe,” Dasher said. “…Whatever the cost, whatever the risk, whatever the fraud or the lies involved, just ship it.”

Stewart Parnell and Mary Wilkerson, the plant’s quality assurance manager, are also charged with obstruction of justice by hiding positive salmonella tests from investigators. The plant was shut down in 2009 and Peanut Corporation went bankrupt. Two former plant managers pleaded guilty in the case and testified against their former boss and the others.

Inspectors who arrived at the Georgia plant after the outbreak was traced to its doors in 2009 found a leaky roof and evidence of roaches and rodents inside — all potential culprits for allowing salmonella bacteria to enter the plant and grow. They also found the peanut roaster wasn’t properly temperature regulated to ensure the cooking process killed salmonella. Those infected with the bacteria can develop diarrhea, fever and have abdominal cramps.

Stewart Parnell’s attorneys have previously said he was unaware of problems at the plant as he tried to run the Georgia plant and two others from his home in Lynchburg, Virginia. They have also noted that federal law doesn’t require salmonella testing for peanut products.

However, Peanut Corporation was required to perform lab tests by its customers. The Parnell brothers are accused of defrauding them by faking salmonella tests and withholding lab results when they were positive.

“The point is there are laws against committing fraud and cheating and lying to your customers in order to make money,” Dasher said.

Michael Parnell’s lawyer has previously pointed out he didn’t work for Peanut Corporation, but rather was essentially a customer who bought peanut paste from the Georgia plant to supply Kellogg’s. Prosecutors say he worked closely with plant managers to keep up with Kellogg’s demands of 40,000 pounds of peanut paste twice a week.

Wilkerson’s attorney has said she cooperated with investigators as best she could after the outbreak.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found the salmonella outbreak sickened Americans in 46 states. Three people died in Minnesota, two in Ohio, two in Virginia, one in Idaho and one in North Carolina.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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