KEVIN McGILL, Associated Press
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — A former BP engineer is returning to federal court as he seeks to undo his obstruction of justice conviction in the government’s investigation of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill disaster.
Kurt Mix was found guilty in December of one count of obstructing justice for deleting a string of text messages in what prosecutors say was an effort to hamper the government’s criminal investigation of the deadly 2010 explosion and spill.
In a Thursday hearing, his lawyers will ask a judge to consider motions to either declare Mix not guilty or grant him a new trial.
Defense lawyers say the evidence in the case did not warrant a conviction. They also say prosecutors made improper statements that effectively denied Mix a fair trial.