>> Channel 2 news begins right
>> Channel 2 news begins right
now with breaking news.
now with breaking news.
>> We’re following 2 major
>> We’re following 2 major
breaking news stories at this
breaking news stories at this
hour, the first involving a
hour, the first involving a
treatment for coronavirus
treatment for coronavirus
patients. The FDA has
patients. The FDA has
officially approved Gilley and
officially approved Gilley and
threatened to severe drug for
threatened to severe drug for
emergency use. Earlier in the
emergency use. Earlier in the
week White House health adviser
week White House health adviser
doctor Anthony Fauci said data
doctor Anthony Fauci said data
from a coronavirus drug top
from a coronavirus drug top
trial testing of Gilley as drug
trial testing of Gilley as drug
showed quite good news and set
showed quite good news and set
a new standard of care for
a new standard of care for
COVID-19 patients Gilley and
COVID-19 patients Gilley and
also release preliminary
also release preliminary
results from its own study
results from its own study
earlier this week showing at
earlier this week showing at
least 50% of the patients
least 50% of the patients
treated with a 5 day dosage of
treated with a 5 day dosage of
room to severe had improved.
room to severe had improved.
More breaking news now is blue
More breaking news now is blue
bill
bill
makes a.
makes a.
>> A plea deal with the
>> A plea deal with the
Department of Justice will be
Department of Justice will be
listeria scandal of
listeria scandal of
2015.
2015.
>> The former head of the
>> The former head of the
company was also charged in
company was also charged in
connection with an accused plot
connection with an accused plot
to cover up
to cover up
the incident channel two’s
the incident channel two’s
Brandon Walker joining us live
Brandon Walker joining us live
the newsroom with more on
the newsroom with more on
this Brandon.
this Brandon.
>> Big news Christine this
>> Big news Christine this
Friday afternoon first let’s
Friday afternoon first let’s
walk it back to catch you up
walk it back to catch you up
you may remember
you may remember
10 people in 4 states including
10 people in 4 states including
Texas
Texas
became ill. Due to listeria
became ill. Due to listeria
contamination tied to this
contamination tied to this
scandal 3 people in Kansas died
scandal 3 people in Kansas died
as
as
a result. The channel 2 team
a result. The channel 2 team
its investigative team
its investigative team
extensively covered this
extensively covered this
scandal
scandal
5 years ago that led to Blue
5 years ago that led to Blue
Bell pulling its products off
Bell pulling its products off
shelves as you may recall and
shelves as you may recall and
it shut
it shut
down the revamping it led to of
down the revamping it led to of
its plant in Brenham that is
its plant in Brenham that is
this is what we learned today
this is what we learned today
from the Department of Justice
from the Department of Justice
blue Bell has agreed to plead
blue Bell has agreed to plead
guilty to 2 misdemeanor counts
guilty to 2 misdemeanor counts
of distributing adulterated ice
of distributing adulterated ice
cream products.
cream products.
This after charges that ship
This after charges that ship
contaminated products linked to
contaminated products linked to
the listeria outbreak in
the listeria outbreak in
2015. The company agreed to pay
2015. The company agreed to pay
a total of 19.3
a total of 19.3
$5 million in in find
$5 million in in find
so what does this mean in some
so what does this mean in some
this means blue Bell knew some
this means blue Bell knew some
of its product was
of its product was
contaminated, but didn’t issue
contaminated, but didn’t issue
a recall or any form of
a recall or any form of
communication notifying the
communication notifying the
public about what
public about what
it knew.
it knew.
>> Of a snowball effect after
>> Of a snowball effect after
that because
that because
the contamination room leading
the contamination room leading
to the outbreak in addition,
to the outbreak in addition,
former blue Bell CEO Paul Kruse
former blue Bell CEO Paul Kruse
was charged with
was charged with
7 felony counts. He is accused
7 felony counts. He is accused
of hiding what the company knew
of hiding what the company knew
about the listeria
about the listeria
contamination from customers
contamination from customers
Cruz’s attorney meantime Chris
Cruz’s attorney meantime Chris
flood tells Channel 2 his
flood tells Channel 2 his
client is innocent and he’s
client is innocent and he’s
confident a Texas jury will see
confident a Texas jury will see
it that way
it that way
we’re also hearing from blue
we’re also hearing from blue
Bell this afternoon they
Bell this afternoon they
released a statement saying
released a statement saying
in part today we are a new
in part today we are a new
different and better bluebell
different and better bluebell
our agreement with the it
our agreement with the it
involves events that took place
involves events that took place
5 years ago before
5 years ago before
we shut down and revamped our
we shut down and revamped our
production facilities and
production facilities and
procedures, the company goes on
procedures, the company goes on
to say that since resuming
to say that since resuming
production in the summer of
production in the summer of
2015. They test their ice cream
