The U.S. Supreme Court rejected House of Raeford’s appeal against criminal charges that the company willfully released turkey remains into waterways, in violation of federal clean water law. The high court denied the company's request to consider arguments that it can't be prosecuted because it's already paid nearly $1 million in pollution fines and shouldn't be punished twice. The Supreme Court's decision means the case goes back to a federal district court in Winston-Salem for trial, reports the Associated Press.

A federal grand jury indicted House of Raeford and Raeford turkey processing plant manager Gregory Steenblock in 2009 on charges of violating the federal Clean Water Act. An indictment accuses the company and Steenblock of knowingly bypassing the plant's water treatment system 14 times in 2005 and 2006, dumping turkey feathers, blood and internal organs into a municipal sewage treatment plant.

The company’s lawyer released a statement saying that the company looks forward to the facts coming out in U.S. District Court.

Sources: Associated Press, Forbes