My reading on the negativity today is that people are angered that Pestilence was given this deal, after screwing the company.

However, it is a plus to have legal actions no longer in play, because any acquirer or big investor might not want to be involved in a company with ongoing litigation. I certainly hope that the complimentary language about Pestilence was merely to "restore" his reputation, such as it is, rather than a genuine desire to have him come back on board. I'll sell my stock at a huge loss if they bring him back.