Daniel J. Callahan and Marc P. Miles, AlterNet, June 8, 2007
The following article is by the lawyers representing the families of four American contractors who worked for Blackwater and were killed in Fallujah. After Blackwater refused to share information about why they were killed, the families were told they would have to sue Blackwater to find out. Now Blackwater is trying to sue them for $10 million to keep them quiet.
Raleigh, NC — The families of four American security contractors who were burned, beaten, dragged through the streets of Fallujah and their decapitated bodies hung from a bridge over the Euphrates River on March 31, 2004, are reaching out to the American public to help protect themselves against the very company their loved ones were serving when killed, Blackwater Security Consulting. After Blackwater lost a series of appeals all the away to the U.S. Supreme Court, Blackwater has now changed its tactics and is suing the dead men’s estates for $10 million to silence the families and keep them out of court.
Following these gruesome deaths which were broadcast on worldwide television, the surviving family members looked to Blackwater for answers as to how and why their loved ones died. Blackwater not only refused to give the grieving families any information, but also callously stated that they would need to sue Blackwater to get it. Left with no alternative, in January 2005, the families filed suit against Blackwater, which is owned by the wealthy and politically-connected Erik Prince.
Blackwater quickly adapted its battlefield tactics to the courtroom. It initially hired Fred F. Fielding, who is currently counsel to the President of the United States. It then hired Joseph E. Schmitz as its in-house counsel, who was formerly the Inspector General at the Pentagon. More recently, Blackwater employed Kenneth Starr, famed prosecutor in the Bill Clinton and Monica Lewinsky scandal, to oppose the families. To add additional muscle, Blackwater hired Cofer Black, who was the Director of the CIA Counter- Terrorist Center.
After filing its suit against the dead men’s estates, Blackwater demanded that its claim and the families’ existing lawsuit be handled in a private arbitration. By suing the families in arbitration, Blackwater has attempted to move the examination of their wrongful conduct outside of the eye of the public and away from a jury. This comes at the same time when Congress is investigating Blackwater.
Over 300 contractors have been killed in Iraq with very little inquiry into their deaths. The families claim that Blackwater is attempting to cover up its incompetence, its cutting of corners in favor of higher profits, and its over billing to the government. Due to lack of accountability and oversight, Blackwater’s private army has been able to obtain huge profits from the government, utilizing contacts established through Erik Prince’s relationships with high-ranking government officials such as Cofer Black and Joseph Schmitz.
In addition to assembling its litigation troops, Blackwater also stonewalled the families concerning any information about how the men were killed. Over the past two and a half years, Blackwater has not responded to a single question or produced a single document. When the families’ attorneys, Callahan & Blaine, obtained a Court Order to take the deposition of a former Blackwater employee with critical information about the incident, Blackwater quickly re-hired him and sent him out of the country. When the witness returned to the United States more than a year later, the families obtained another Court Order for his deposition. Blackwater again prevented them from taking his deposition by seeking the assistance of the U.S. Attorney’s Office to block the deposition under the guise that he possibly possessed national secrets. Following an investigation, the U.S. Army reported that the witness had no secret information and that it had no objection to the deposition.
Just wanted to pass this along…My girlfriend just sent me this email about Blackwater. This makes me SICK!!!! Who really run’s the USA when corporations can put their workers in danger, deny EVERTYTHING and then sue the very families that actually lost their loved ones for 10 MILLION?! We need to help stop corporations from pushing around the little guy. I donated to support the victim’s families @ http://www.blackwatervictims.com . Still in shock that Blackwater can get away with this!
________________________________________
Sent: Thursday, June 14, 2007 12:14 PM
Subject: FW: An American Tragedy
FAMILIES OF SLAIN
BLACKWATER CONTRACTORS
DESPERATELY NEED YOUR HELP!
RALEIGH, NC – The families of the 4 American security contractors who were burned, beaten, dragged through the streets of Fallujah and their decapitated bodies hung from a bridge over the Euphrates River on March 31, 2004 desperately need your help.
Today, the families of these 4 innocent men are defending against the very company their loved ones served when killed, Blackwater Security Consulting. After losing a series of appeals all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court, Blackwater has changed its tactics and is now suing the dead men’s estates to silence the families and keep this case out of court.
Tragically, the families do not have the financial wherewithal to defend against Blackwater’s outrageous suit. Without your help, Blackwater will silence and deprive the families of these 4 brave Americans.
A legal defense fund has been established. We’re asking you toplease donate money to assist the families in these dark times.
THEY DIED FOR THEIR COUNTRY
NOW THEIR ESTATES ARE BEING SUED FOR $10 MILLION!
The 4 men brutally murdered while working for Blackwater were retired military personnel. The men signed on with Blackwater and were dead 2 weeks later. They were killed during their very first mission. Why? Because Blackwater did not provide them with the necessary and promised weapons, vehicles, support and information to be able to successfully perform their jobs.
These men died for their country. All their families wanted were answers as to how they died. Instead of giving answers, Blackwater did the unthinkable: They filed suit against the victims’ families for $10 million.
Without your help, Blackwater – with its huge war chest and political connections
at the highest levels- will succeed in avoiding accountability and destroying
4 innocent families. Please don’t let this happen.
DON’T LET BLACKWATER GET AWAY WITH THIS TRAVESTY
CONTRIBUTE TO THE BLACKWATER VICTIMS’ DEFENSE FUND
Blackwater has spent millions of dollars and hired at least five different law firms to fight the families, rather than meeting and addressing what should be Blackwater’s top priority – the safety and well being of the mothers, wives and children left behind. Blackwater has said it will not pay one red cent to assist or console the surviving families, but instead has chosen to sue the families for $10 million. This is an attack on the very core Constitutional right Americans have to seek out the truth, have their day in court and not be muzzled by a deep-pocketed corporation.
OUR GOAL IS TO RAISE $1 MILLION IN THE NEXT 30 DAYS
TO HELP THESE FAMLIES GET JUSTICE.
Donations may be made securely online through PayPal at http://www.blackwatervictims.com. Donations can also be sent to the families’ trust account, payable to “C&B ITF Blackwater Victims Defense Fund,” c/o Callahan & Blaine, 3 Hutton Centre Drive, Ninth Floor, Santa Ana, California 92707.
All donations will be kept confidential and anonymous.
For more information, please visit http://www.blackwatervictims.com or contact counsel
for the families, Daniel J. Callahan at (714) 241-4444 or daniel@callahan-law.com.
Comment by blondebombchell — June 14, 2007 @ 7:05 pm