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Prosecutors rest in Ga. trial of peanut producers

By WTOP Staff

RUSS BYNUM
Associated Press

ALBANY, Ga. (AP) — Federal prosecutors have rested their case in the trial of three peanut producers charged in a deadly national salmonella outbreak traced to a rural Georgia plant.

Prosecutors spent more than a month calling witnesses before they rested Wednesday in the U.S. District Court trial of former Peanut Corporation of America owner Stewart Parnell, his brother, Michael Parnell, and the plant’s former quality assurance manager, Mary Wilkerson.

Stewart Parnell’s lead attorney told the judge he plans to call no defense witnesses. Defense lawyers for the other two said they will present witnesses. The trial began Aug. 1.

The Parnell brothers are charged with shipping contaminated peanuts and covering up positive salmonella tests. Wilkerson is charged with obstructing justice. Nine Americans died and 714 got sick in the outbreak five years ago.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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