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Protestors James Johnson, Sequoia McDowell and William Dodson were charged with burglary, aggravated riot and aggravated assault when they attempted to push their way past a police officer to gain entry into the meeting room. They were one of more than 40 demonstrating against mountaintop removal mining, something National Coal said it doesn’t do.
The judge overseeing the case decided this week to send the charges to the grand jury, saying the deliberate force towards an armed officer created substantial risk.
National Coal primarily mines coal by locating, leasing, assessing, permitting and developing properties in the US’s Southern Appalachian region, and they own or lease coal and other mineral rights in east Tennessee and east Kentucky.