Marfork Coal Sues Protesters

{West Virginia}...Marfork Coal Co., a subsidiary of Virginia-based Alpha Natural Resources, is suing strip mining protesters who staged a 30 day tree-sit this summer at the Bee Tree Mine on Coal River Mountain in southern West Virginia. Marfork is seeking compensatory damages and punitive damages against Becks Kolins and Catherine-Ann MacDougal, and their ground support crew, Elias Schewel and Junior Walk, who are with Radical Action for Mountain People's Survival. Marfork wants fines imposed if any of them trespass again. Raleigh County Circuit Judge Robert Burnside was set to consider a request for a restraining order against the defendants Wednesday, but the hearing was postponed by mutual request.