Captions will look like this
Associated PressAssociated Press

The engineer of the train that derailed in Philadelphia in 2015, killing eight people and injuring hundreds, was cleared of all charges by a jury Friday.

The jury took just over an hour to acquit Brandon Bostian, 38, of causing a catastrophe, manslaughter, and reckless endangerment, one count for each injury and death. Civil litigation over the crash was settled by Amtrak for $265 million.

The train was travelling at more than twice the speed limit when it derailed in north Philadelphia.

The lawyer for the man described him as a lifelong train buff who had a perfect work record until he was distracted by reports of people throwing rocks. He could have been sent to prison for a long time if he was convicted.

It has been seven years since he wondered if he would ever get his life back. Brian McMonagle said after the verdict that the jury gave him his life back.

McMonagle said that the criminal actors in the case were those who threw rocks at the train. No one was caught.

Federal safety investigators concluded that when he accelerated from about 65 mph to 106 mph, he lost situational awareness on the track. He was in the middle of the curve. There was no evidence that he was impaired, fatigued or using his cellphone.

The key question for the jury was whether the man who no longer works for Amtrak sped up deliberately.

The case has a long legal history, with judges debating whether the actions of the man constituted a crime. The judge questioned whether the evidence was enough but said she would consider the issue after the jury verdict. The point is no longer relevant.

The passengers were traveling from Washington to New York on Tuesday evening. The train stopped at Philadelphia's 30th Street station about 10 minutes before heading north.

Charles Gildersleeve, a former New York firefighter, told jurors how he spent two days searching for his brother after the crash, only to learn he had died. Robert Gildersleeve was going to New York for a work conference after watching his son play lacrosse.

Blair Berman said he ran into the wreck and asked to borrow his phone. He didn't tell her he was driving the train. She asked him where they were, and he told her they were in an area called Franklin Junction.

The point was used by prosecutors to argue that Bostian should have known the speed limit when he crashed.

The trial brought public accountability and the verdict doesn't change that, according to lawyer Tom Kline. The victims finally heard that the engineer made mistakes.

The eight families who lost loved ones, and the scores of others who were catastrophically injured, will have some measure of closure.

The Attorney General's Office took over after Philadelphia's top prosecutor declined to pursue criminal charges.

The excessive speed of the train that the defendants operated resulted in death and injury to his passengers, according to the state Attorney General's Office.

Congress raised the limit on settlements for individual crashes of Amtrak to $295 million after the crash.

An alternate had to step in when one of the jurors had died. From the beginning, the jury began deliberations.

There is a

Follow Maryclaire Dale on social media.

  • A jury in Philadelphia will soon consider criminal charges against the engineer of the train that derailed and killed eight people. The case against engineer Brandon Bostian will go to jury deliberations on Friday. More than 200 people were injured when a train went off the tracks in north Philadelphia after rounding a curve that was twice the speed limit.

  • The engineer of the high-speed train that derailed in Philadelphia in 2015, killing eight people and injuring hundreds, was not charged. Brandon was acquitted of causing a catastrophe. The jury verdict was swift, according to CBS Philly.

  • Green technologies will be tested at SUSTIE, which will help buildings become more eco-friendly.

  • American City Business Journals

    An electric vehicle maker considered North Carolina for a manufacturing plant, but decided against it. It's likely that it came down to politics.

  • According to his mother, a man charged with hate crimes after allegedly attacking seven Asian women in Manhattan has struggled with mental health issues for years. Steven Zajonc was arrested on Wednesday evening in connection with the unprovoked assaults that took place in a span of just two hours. He was charged with seven counts of assault and attempted assault, which were all classified as hate crimes.

  • The man convicted in the death of an off-duty firefighter during a road rage incident was sentenced on Friday.

  • AdRaid
    • Why this Ad?
    • Go ad-free*

    Enjoy this stunning graphics and deep game-play.

  • The family of a Northern California woman whose 2016 disappearance trigged an intensive search and international headlines on Friday criticized the way she was arrested on charges she faked her own kidnapping. According to her family, she was attacked in front of her children Thursday afternoon. Papini disappeared while jogging.

  • A man pleaded guilty to the murder of the wife of a legendary music executive. Aariel Maynor pleaded guilty in the fatal shooting of her security guard at her Beverly Hills home in December. Maynor pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm by a felon.

  • South Florida Sun Sentinel

    John Longo didn't have to die in jail according to his defense lawyer. He was found guilty of cheating a boat seller out of a $75,000 vessel, so keeping him out of jail may not have been an option. Despite his poor health, Tim Bailey ordered him into custody after the jury convicted him. The sun came up the next morning.

  • AdThe Ascent
    • Why this Ad?
    • Go ad-free*

    After spending $1,000 within three months, you can earn a $200 cash rewards bonus.

  • The TikTok mom shared the moment she caught her husband playing with their toddler instead of putting her to bed.

  • A jury in Kentucky found a former police officer not guilty of endangering neighbors when he fired shots into an apartment during a 2020 drug raid. After listening to closing arguments from the prosecution and defense attorneys, the panel of eight men and four women delivered its verdict. Hankison was accused of firing through sliding-glass side doors and a window.

  • The waiter who was shot 11 times during an attempted break in to a restaurant in Las Vegas has appeared publicly for the first time since the incident. Chengyan Wang said he was grateful to be alive and for the support of the Las Vegas community after he was shot by Rashawn Gaston-Anderson.

  • Become the master of a medieval castle. Train and protect your men and women if you accept new subjects. Don't give up you.

  • Unusual things happen at Florida golf courses, but usually involve alligators. There was a frightening incident in Broward County.

  • The actor was named a Disney legend in 2006 for his role in The Adventures of Spin and Marty.

  • AdMercy Ship
    • Why this Ad?
    • Go ad-free*

    The facial tumors grew large and painful. She had surgery that changed her life.

  • A Saudi Arabian court handed down a new death sentence against a young man for crimes committed when he was a minor after a higher court overturned a previous ruling, his family said. The Criminal Court in Tabuk sentenced the minor to death after he was arrested for murder and armed robbery at the age of 14.

  • A food delivery Pod became stranded in a railroad crossing and was killed beneath a freight train.

  • ProFootball Talk on NBC Sports

    Surviving Washington has not. In late November, former Commanders quarterback Robert Griffin III announced that he would be writing a tell-all about the mismanagement and toxic culture of the team. Per Bickel.

  • AdHelloFresh
    • Why this Ad?
    • Go ad-free*

    There is a new sale on HelloFresh that includes 16 free meals and 3 surprise gifts.

  • There were other A-listers on the drawing board. The man behind every Batman movie spills his secrets.

  • The road was expected to be closed for at least 8 hours.

  • John Pagano should be admitted into pre-trial intervention, pay his fines and undergo therapy according to the prosecutors office.