Defendants, charges reduced in Agriprocessors child labor trial

What was to be a child labor trial against six defendants has been whittled down to one defendant.

The state dismissed child labor charges against Agriprocessors corporate officer Abraham Aaron Rubashkin and plant human resources employee Laura Althouse this morning.

The dismissals came as prosecutors and the defense began to set the groundwork for what is scheduled to be a three-week trial.

The state still intends to proceed with child labor charges against former Agriprocessors CEO Sholom Rubashkin, said Assistant Attorney General Tom Miller.

Miller also amended the charges against Sholom Rubashkin from 9,311 counts to 83 counts.

He said the move is designed to ensure the case could be tried in front of a jury in a reasonable amount of time.

An attorney for Agriprocessors Inc. said the corporation pleads guilty to amended charges, although the plea isn't based on the knowledge or intent of Abraham and Sholom Rubashkin.

Charges against human resources workers Elizabeth Billmeyer and Karina Freund were separated for further proceedings at a later date.

Sholom Rubashkin stood by his not guilty plea.

Jury selection is slated to begin this afternoon.

Although the charges stem from incidents in Allamakee County, where the Agriprocessors plant was located in Postville, the trial was moved to Waterloo on a change of venue.

Sholom Rubashkin, who is awaiting sentencing on federal fraud charges, was moved to the Black Hawk County Jail for the duration of the child labor trial.

Abraham Aaron Rubashkin was also in the courthouse this morning as a corporate officer for Agriprocessors.

-- Jeff Reinitz, Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier