UPDATE: Ex-BP CEO Browne Deposed After Long Texas Legal Spat
Friday April 4th, 2008 / 20h34
(Updates with details, confirmation from BP) By John M. Biers Of DOW JONES NEWSWIRES HOUSTON -(Dow Jones)- Former BP PLC (BP) Chief Executive John Browne sat for an hour-long phone deposition Friday related to lingering litigation in the 2005 Texas City refinery explosion, BP confirmed Friday. Browne's deposition follows nearly two years of legal wrangling over plaintiffs attorneys access to Browne. "I can confirm that Lord Browne participated in an hour-long telephonic deposition," BP spokesman Ronnie Chappell said. BP said in early March that it raised its legal reserves for Texas City settlements from $1.6 billion to $2.1 billion. Federal investigators castigated BP's safety and management practices after the March 2005 accident in which 15 workers died and hundreds more reported injuries. Browne stepped down from BP in May 2007 after admitting he lied to a U.K. court about a relationship with a former companion. Although credited as an industry visionary through much of his tenure, Browne's last years at BP were marred by scandal and operational accidents. A spokesman for Browne's current employer, Riverstone Holdings LLC, declined comment Friday. Plaintiffs' attorneys have argued since 2006 that Browne should be questioned because he personally injected himself into the case. In particular, they said Browne's visit to the refinery the day after the fatal blast and financial decisions he had made merited his appearance. BP and Browne have long argued that the former chief executive had no unique knowledge related to the calamity. The company has repeatedly said that Browne should be protected under a state law that prevents chief executives from testifying on cases where they lack unique knowledge. In late January, the Texas Supreme Court overturned a lower court ruling that opened Browne up to an unlimited deposition. At the time, plaintiffs' attorney Brent Coon expressed skepticism that he would be able to question Browne at all. But Friday, Coon touted news of the deposition, saying that he planned to query Browne on a host of topics, including the role of BP budget cuts in the accident. "We firmly believe that Lord Browne, like any other party to such a horrific tragedy, should have to answer for his company's misdeeds," Coon said. Last autumn, BP agreed to plead guilty to a federal environmental crime and pay a $50 million settlement as part of a larger settlement with the Justice Department that also addressed BP trading and Alaska pipeline compliance issues. The settlement, which has been criticized by Texas City victims' representatives, is pending in a Texas federal court. -By John M. Biers, Dow Jones Newswires; 713-547-9214; john.biers@dowjones.com
