American Notes Industry

It was a trial without precedent: three corporate officials accused of murder after one of their employees died as a result of hazardous conditions in the plant where he worked. Last week Illinois Judge Ronald J.P. Banks issued the stunning landmark verdict: the executives and the now defunct Film Recovery Systems Inc. were found guilty in the 1983 death of Stefan Golab by cyanide poisoning.

Golab, 61, died at the FRS plant in Elk Grove Village, Ill., ten minutes after collapsing near a vat of cyanide, which is used to help recover silver from exposed photographic film. Other FRS workers testified that the plant reeked of bitter almonds, cyanide's telltale odor. Cook County Medical Examiner Robert Stein said death was caused by "acute cyanide toxicity," and that during the autopsy, Golab's chest cavity had smelled so strongly of almonds "that it hurt both the eyes of myself and my assistant." After rendering his verdict, the judge revoked bail for the defendants, who now face sentences of 20 to 40 years each. Said Cook County Prosecutor Richard Daley: "This should have far-reaching effects in protecting working men and women throughout the U.S."