Protesters gather at Massey annual meeting

By DENA POTTER Associated Press Writer

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) - Hundreds of people are gathering outside a historic Richmond hotel where Massey Energy is holding its annual stockholders meeting.

The protesters want Massey CEO Don Blankenship to resign and be prosecuted for a series of environmental and safety violations at company mines in Virginia, West Virginia and Kentucky.

Tuesday's meeting comes six weeks after 29 miners died in an explosion at Massey's Upper Big Branch mine in West Virginia. The blast resulted in the nation's worst coal mining disaster in 40 years.

Massey has come under intense public scrutiny and now some shareholders have serious questions about the company's leadership.

Some are campaigning today to prevent the election of three board members favored by Massey.