Judge cites gov't missteps, tosses Blackwater case

Judge cites gov't missteps, tosses Blackwater case

news.yahoo.com

WASHINGTON – A federal judge cited repeated government missteps in dismissing all charges against five Blackwater Worldwide security guards accused of killing unarmed Iraqi civilians in a case that inflamed anti-American sentiment abroad.

U.S. District Judge Ricardo Urbina dismissed the case against the guards accused of the shooting in a crowded Baghdad intersection in 2007.

(visit the link for the full news article)

Well, I wonder how this will play out! The anti-war and itchy fingered government were hell bent on hanging these guys that they may have shot themselves in the foot. The worst part is we now give combatants legal counsel and allow them their day in court too....hmmm...wonder if those truly responsible will be set free because, like everything else our government does, we can't get the job done right!

This should also be interesting because MANY ATS members say that its not the job of cops, military folks, vigilantes, to decide your fate, that it should be left up to the courts. Well this was left up to the courts, so this is "justice" at work right?









news.yahoo.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

They are not combatants at all. Just military comtractors who were accused of a crime. They among others denied it citing the civilians fired on them first. It went to court and the Judge doing his job found reason(s) to dismiss the case.

Its too early still to cry foul here. I'm sure it will be presented again knowing the government.

They (BW or Xe) might have had some leverage to get it tossed....

Blackwater/Xe employees killed with CIA





[edit on 1-1-2010 by mikelee]

This is the govt purposefully taking a weak case to court so their little murder for hire sociopath pals skate IMO.

One quote I found noteworthy.. the judge dismissed the government's explanations as "contradictory, unbelievable and lacking in credibility."... similar 'missteps' (torture) and lack of credibility (bush admin lies) should also apply allowing KSM the alleged 9/11 boogie-man to walk free.

CIA director George Tenet admitted that when arrested KSM invoked, stating "I'll talk to you guys after I get to New York and see my lawyer."...but he was denied counsel meaning anything he admitted to, especially after being tortured, will be inadmissible... lmao

Of course regular rules won't apply during this n korean banana republic show trial, everyone 'just knows' dude is a very bad man because people on TV said so... the judge will contort into knots bending over backwards with ridiculous rulings ensuring a conviction... and these kangaroo court rulings will create kangaroo case law that can and will be leveraged against ALL of us... like it's ok to deny due process and torture people until they admit guilt.. as long as the govt has a really good reason.


blog.foreignpolicy.com...

Originally posted by rcwj1975

This should also be interesting because MANY ATS members say that its not the job of cops, military folks, vigilantes, to decide your fate, that it should be left up to the courts. Well this was left up to the courts, so this is "justice" at work right?

I think if you give them a chance, you will find that the courts are just as, if not more, corrupt than the cops, military and vigilantes. How many times do people who have government connections get away with murder? Far too many for me to count. Here is just another example to tack onto the list.

These guys were probably a little shook up over some info they got coming through Baghdad and felt "under threat".

It was, at least in their head, a us or them sit x and they choose them.

They may have guessed wrong but given their creds these guys generally guess correctly.

Hence they are still alive.

Not saying it was moral or immoral. Just a survival thing that takes over sometimes in war.

Of course that is only speculation and I must say that I do feel for the innocent victims.

Its a fubar world.

Originally posted by drwizardphd

Originally posted by rcwj1975

This should also be interesting because MANY ATS members say that its not the job of cops, military folks, vigilantes, to decide your fate, that it should be left up to the courts. Well this was left up to the courts, so this is "justice" at work right?

I think if you give them a chance, you will find that the courts are just as, if not more, corrupt than the cops, military and vigilantes. How many times do people who have government connections get away with murder? Far too many for me to count. Here is just another example to tack onto the list.

And yet it is these same courts that the obama administration would rather use to prosecute terrorists than use the military tribunals that other laws provide for.

Incidents like this make the case for NOT using the court system.

All too easy to imagine inept obama Justice Department prosecutors committing just the type of "legal errors" it would take to get the trials thrown out for terrorists like shiek mohammed.

Then all we could do is send them home to try again.