The original content of Democracy Now! Headlines appears under the Creative Commons BY-NC-ND 3.0 License (United States). For more, including their other shows and media, visit www.democracynow.org. May 11, 2009 Jury Acquits W.R. Graces in Libby, Montana Asbestos Case -------------------------------------------------------- A federal jury in Montana has acquitted chemical company W.R. Grace and three of its executives on all counts for knowingly exposing residents of Libby, Montana to asbestos poisoning. An estimated 1,200 residents of Libby have died or developed cancer or lung disease from exposure to asbestos-containing ore from a mine in the town. Community activist Gayla Benefield said, “They’ve gotten away with murder again, and that’s just the way it will always be.” Shares of W.R. Grace rose 36 percent on the news of the acquittal. .