Pilar Gravitt strikes me as just a young over-worked attorney who believed she wasn't responsible for her actions because she was under the umbrella of the El Paso Corp legal department. Over the years, I would send her notice that immigrants were being kidnapped on the El Paso lease. There was human trafficking, there was murder. I sent signed and sworn affidavits from law enforcement to Pilar. But, all she did was go to Judge Terrell and have all the records about kidnapping, murders, and human trafficking on the El Paso lease deemed as confidential and proprietary property of El Paso Corp. Cut! Next scene! 100's of dead bodies of human trafficking victims dug up in pits in the AMI. Who signs the documents to hide all of this? Pilar Gravitt. And... there is no El Paso Corp to defend Pilar's actions because El Paso Corp has been sold to Kinder Morgan. It's just Pilar's name and signature on the documents from some defunct oil company. But she will be o.k.. She can point out that it wasn't conscious indifference because the Texas Bar Association ruled that she had done no wrong in having all of this information shielded from the public and law enforcement who could have intervened and saved countless lives. Pilar Gravitt set a series of events in motion with the polyline lawsuit and I, personally, hold her accountable for the consequences. I hope that my movie will discourage other young corporate in house attorneys, like Pilar Gravitt, from thinking that they are safe from scrutiny just because they work for a big corporation with a huge legal department.
On the bright side for Ms. Pilar, I think she has a real future in media. She will make more money in entertainment anyway. It will work out o.k. for her. She's cute and people love individuals that come back after committing horrible deeds. She can write her own book and become a commentator on CNN. I suspect she has regrets. With a big corporation, it's very hard to determine accountability, but in court filings, an individual lawyer has to personally sign and take that responsibility.
10 comments:
Did I miss something? When did they start digging up bodies in the pits?
Not yet, but they will. There is a bill before the legislature that indemnifies ranchers of responsibility for deaths of immigrants within 125 miles from the border. Currently, the law indemnifies only 25 miles from the border. Once that passes, people will be more inclined to report stuff. Its common knowledge but it costs the county $2400 per autopsy, and the counties are poor. So, there is no big impetus to go dig stuff up. However, the new law will pass the expense on to the state for the autopsies. Plus, in our area, since Judge Terrells rulings, landowners can argue that they don't have control over access - the oil companies are the dominant estate. There are a lot of politics involved and when it comes to light and everyone is saying "How did it happen?" Locals wants to be clear of liability. Law enforcement and ranchers can say, "Hey, Exxon's gate guards let them in. They open the gate. We don't know who works for the oil companies and who doesn't." And, those measures are falling into place. Personally, I'll blame Pilar.
"Just following the Bosses orders" has not always got people off the hook in other situations.
Somehow, I doubt the illegals are using gates.
No, it's true. She was probably just following orders. But, I doubt anyone from El Paso will stand up and defend her in the end. I would have never spoken publicly about the human trafficking on the ranch if Judge Terrell hadn't issued an injection that prevents land owners from controlling access. From there, it just spiraled and was a venue to get things on the public record so Exxon can't deny notice of the problems.
Kinder Morgan gets all of El Paso's liabilities, and would be responsible for defending Ms. Grantham if necessary.
People, be them ranchers, dopers, immigrants, local law enforcement - they are ready for the reality of the killings to come to light. The people responsible are random sociopaths that don't belong to any successful organized crime group. Smugglers don't like it - they get loads hijacked, drivers killed, immigrants kidnapped, immigrants killed. Criminals are losing money, too. Conveniently, they can all blame El Paso for bringing 1000's of workers from the parole department and setting them loose in the AMI. (not to disparage ex-cons, but you bring a few 1000 in, a small percentage will be sociopaths) And, El Paso will already be absorbed into Kinder Morgan, so who cares. Everyone will agree it is El Paso's fault.
Kinder Morgan need not worry about putting up a legal defense for Pilar Grantham - this isn't a story that will play out in a court room. It will be in the political arena and the press. Law enforcement can publicly shift the blame and the responsibility to secure ranches to the oil companies who are the dominant estate. Exxon's JV's aren't publicly filed. They are confidential. How would law enforcement know who to stop? Judge Terrell granted Pilars protective orders and injunctions - Pilar is probably legally off the hook. the testimony in that case is the gold mine here. The affidavits about how dangerous an oilfield is for anyone without specialized training. The gun hazards, the identity of all contractors and sub contractors deemed a trade secret. And all those road use licenses.....
Maybe she can work defending rapists and murderers....oh wait, she already has!
Heavy truck traffic must go thru the gate - 18 wheelers, etc. We have pulled up all the heavy truck sturdy roads except where there is a gate guard. For the 11 miles of highway that go thru us. Exxon's gate guards only work from 7 - 4. The big roads only go from the gate thru two other ranches to come out past the checkpoint. The other ranchers are intercepting tanker trucks with 9500 LBs of marijuana further up the road. A tanker can not go cross country. It must go thru the gate. Any vehicle that isn't 4 wheel drive goes thru the gates. Also, when law enforcement finds bailout vehicles on the ranches, they are often marked with Halliburton or other company logos. It's all sand in my area. You can't just cruise thru the country side. Sometime people try, but their vehicles often catch on fire from the dry grass.
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