Thursday, January 12, 2012

Billionaire U.S.-Canada bridge owner sent to jail

Maybe we should have more of this. No one is above the law--no matter how rich:

A judge ordered the 84-year-old owner of Detroit's Ambassador Bridge to jail Thursday for failing to meet court orders on a construction project linking the span to adjacent interstates.

Wayne County Judge Prentis Edwards said Manuel "Matty" Moroun and top lieutenant Dan Stamper will stay in jail until they comply with a 2010 order to get the work going. It's unclear how long they'll be behind bars after an appeals court hours later refused to suspend the decision and release them.

"It is clear that the Detroit International Bridge Co. does not intend to comply with the court orders unless meaningful sanctions are imposed," Edwards said.

Lawyers for Moroun and Stamper asked Edwards to freeze his decision while they appeal, but the judge declined.

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