By Del Quentin Wilber
Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, December 31, 2009; 4:15 PM
A federal judge on Thursday threw out charges against five Blackwater Worldwide security guards accused of killing 14 people in a 2007 shooting in downtown Baghdad.
In a 90-page opinion, U.S. District Judge Ricardo M. Urbina ruled that the government violated the guards’ rights by using their immunized statements to help the investigation. The ruling comes after a lengthy set of hearings that examined whether federal prosecutors and agents improperly used such statements that the guards gave to State Department investigators following the shooting on Sept. 16, 2007.
“The explanations offered by prosecutors and investigators in an attempt to justify their actions and persuade the court that they did not use the defendants’ compelled testimony were all too often contradictory, unbelievable and lacking in credibility,” Urbina wrote.
Dean Boyd, a spokesman for the Justice Department, said, “We’re obviously disappointed by the decision. We’re still in the process of reviewing the opinion and considering our options.”
The five guards – Paul Slough, Nicholas Slatten, Evan Liberty, Dustin Heard and Donald Ball – are charged with voluntary manslaughter and weapons violations in the killing of 14 civilians and the wounding of 20 others.
The Justice Department alleges that the guards unleashed an unprovoked attack on Iraqi civilians in Nisoor Square while in a convoy. One guard, Jeremy P. Ridgeway, has pleaded guilty and was expected to testify against the others. Blackwater, which has since renamed itself Xe, had a contract to provide security for the State Department in Iraq.
Mark Hulkhower, the defense lawyer representing Slough, said he was obviously pleased. “We are very gratified by the judge’s thoughtful and reasoned opinion and we are very happy that Mr. Slough can start the New Year without this cloud hanging over his head.”
The true details of what happened at Nisoor square are notably absent from anything I’ve ever read on the incident. There are undoubtedly some members here who know the real story…and they are in absolutely no hurry to share the details…nor should they be.
I certainly don’t have the details and as such I’m not qualified to comment on what this means beyond this:
Remember that a bunch of Marines were falsely accused of a number of heinous crimes in the Haditha incident. They were eventually exonerated. Currently some SEALs are in the process of being tried because a terrorist ended up with a fat lip. The fact that the government accuses armed professionals of heinous actions does not necessarily mean that the accused are actually guilty of anything…especially when so much political baggage is hanging on the issue.
Political baggage? You’re saying the government would consider political expediency when weighing the fate of braver souls than themselves? Heresy! :rolleyes:
Great news, just when I thought there was no justice in this world. I hope this makes it to the main stream media and Erik Prince and his company (Blackwater) gets exonerated. Still praying for our SEAL’s and their rescue from the Political Correctness Cops. Hard to believe our country has become “what’s right is wrong and what’s wrong is right”. Maybe Billy Shakespeare’s dream will come true in my lifetime.
About effen time!! This should have been a non starter…the same with the SEAL team that is being court martialed…that made nat’l news so I think it will get shit canned as well.
the only problem is that you have in essence erased an effective team. Their morale is damgaged and it’s good adds that they will all leave the military…once something like gets into your file you’re fuked.
This was great news to read this afternoon. A buddy of mine whom I served with in Iraq during our time in the Corps. was one of those thrown under the bus in this case. I spoke with him earlier and it was great to hear how the weight has been lifted off his shoulders and he can resume is normal life. These guys have been provided a well deserved, fresh beginning to 2010.
It is 3 Frogs, not a Team. Also, I know one of them as well. He spent most of his young life working to become a SEAL and when I was stationed with he was a GM2 on his way to BUD/s. I am pretty sure he’s a lifer.
