MIAMI (AP) — Produce giant Chiquita Brands International
is asking a federal appeals court to toss out lawsuits filed against it
in the U.S. by thousands of Colombians whose relatives were killed in a
bloody civil war.
An 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals panel will hear arguments Thursday.
Chiquita
once had huge banana operations in Colombia. The company says the
lawsuits should be dismissed because Chiquita can’t be directly linked
to each killing, despite paying $1.7 million to a right-wing
paramilitary group.
Lawyers for the Colombians say Chiquita should
be held liable, even if executives didn’t know specifics about the
death squad killings.
Chiquita pleaded guilty in 2007 to U.S.
criminal charges over the payments and paid a $25 million fine. The
company insists the payments were made under duress.
Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights
reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or
redistributed.
MIAMI (AP) — Produce giant Chiquita Brands International
is asking a federal appeals court to toss out lawsuits filed against it
in the U.S. by thousands of Colombians whose relatives were killed in a
bloody civil war.
An 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals panel will hear arguments Thursday.
Chiquita
once had huge banana operations in Colombia. The company says the
lawsuits should be dismissed because Chiquita can’t be directly linked
to each killing, despite paying $1.7 million to a right-wing
paramilitary group.
Lawyers for the Colombians say Chiquita should
be held liable, even if executives didn’t know specifics about the
death squad killings.
Chiquita pleaded guilty in 2007 to U.S.
criminal charges over the payments and paid a $25 million fine. The
company insists the payments were made under duress.
Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights
reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or
redistributed.