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Via Workers World News Service
Reprinted from the March 6, 1997
issue of Workers World newspaper
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A different justice for the very rich

The John du Pont case

By Ray Ceci in Philadelphia

On Feb. 25, a Pennsylvania jury found multimillionaire John du Pont, scion to one of the wealthiest and most influential families in the country, guilty in the Jan. 26, 1996, murder of Olympic wrestler Dave Schultz on du Pont's Foxcatcher estate in the western suburbs of Philadelphia.

Since the jury also found him insane-a legal term meaning he did not know he was committing a crime-he is not expected to be sentenced to a jail term.

The drama had the notoriety and sensationalism to provide a year of television coverage: An "eccentric" millionaire villain. The victim, a world- class athlete universally loved and respected by his peers, who had two young children.

In addition, there was the 48-hour police siege at du Pont's estate where he had refused to surrender. Later, the police found a cache of weapons, including du Pont's very own military personnel carrier, that would have been the envy of any of the right-wing anti-government militias.

But John du Pont's case was not to become the latest in a list of "trials of the century." The du Pont family was too rich for that.

Long noted for their great wealth, aversion to publicity, and an affinity for inbreeding and infighting, the du Ponts rule over an economic empire. It includes not only chemical but banking, real estate, timber and paper interests-as well as agricultural holdings and horse breeding.

They also used to own the Philadelphia Phillies, a major-league baseball team.

Royalists who fled the 1789 French Revolution, the du Ponts established gunpowder mills on the banks of the Brandywine River in northern Dela ware. They soon gained a near-monopoly in the gunpowder industry and government contracts.

Ninteenth century wars enriched them. But that was nothing compared to the obscene profits made from World War I. It took time, money, good public relations and a domesticated academia to replace "Merchants of Death" with "Better Living through Chemistry" as a Du Pont trademark.

Delaware became like another du Pont estate. Highways, hotels and at least two public high schools bear the family name. Lax tax laws made the state a corporate capital, and du Pont influence also made it a leader in segregation.

Unlike other ruling-class families, the du Ponts have produced no notable public figures-except perhaps Pierre du Pont, who bought his way to the governorship of Delaware.

From this ilk, John du Pont emerged.

The prosecution announced from the outset it was not going to seek the death penalty. This in a state where noted Black political prisoner, author and journalist Mumia Abu-Jamal sits on death row.

The murder was barely reported by the national news media and then dropped entirely. A year later, as the trial is concluding, there are no CNN daily reports, no running commentary by Geraldo Rivera.

And what about the police role? They had many reports of bizarre behavior-shooting firearms in his estate; patrolling the grounds in his private military personnel carrier; one police report indicated that du Pont believed "the Russians were going to start a war on his estate."

Did they overlook or ignore these telltale signs because he donated the money to build a firing range for the police? Worse yet, the police gave him a badge and made him an auxiliary member of the department.

John du Pont was a person of wealth and influence despite his bizarre behavior. Dave Schultz was at his Foxcatcher estate because du Pont provided the facilities and the money to enable Schultz to train full time so he could compete at the international level.

But this was an unequal relationship. Schultz served at du Pont's whim and caprice.

Du Pont's lawyers pled insanity for their client, claiming he didn't know right from wrong. But du Pont is from a family of obscene wealth that has gotten away with robbing and impoverishing its employees.

Do you think those who made their fortune on the slaughter of millions would have any feeling for someone like Schultz? Whether or not John du Pont is psychotic, it is the capitalist system, which allows the du Ponts to amass such wealth and power, that is insane.

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