A private hearing between U.S. District Judge Irene Berger and both sides in the Don Blankenship case ended at about 11:30 a.m. Friday.

Neither prosecutors nor defense lawyers would comment on what happened during the 30-minute proceeding.

“It’s a matter to keep the integrity of the proceeding,” said U.S. Attorney Booth Goodwin. “It’s a matter that will be placed on the record when we get back together.”

Goodwin said he did not know when that would be, but that it would likely not occur until the judge hears again from jurors. When lawyers emerged from the courtroom, there was a brief but heated exchange between Goodwin and Gary Quarles, whose son was killed in the Upper Big Branch mine, when Goodwin would not tell Quarles and other family members what had occurred.

“We are the families,” Quarles said. “Anything she’s got to say, we should be able to hear.”