Blackwater USA seeks $10M in wrongful death suit from families lawyer of dead mercs

http://www.khaleejtimes.ae/DisplayArticleNew.asp?xfile=data/focusoniraq/2007/January/focusoniraq_January131.xml§ion=focusoniraq


RALEIGH, North Carolina - Private security contractor Blackwater USA is seeking $10 million (Ð7.7 million) from the attorney representing the estates of four employees killed and mutilated in Iraq, arguing their families breached the security guards’ contracts by suing the company for wrongful death.

A frenzied mob of insurgents ambushed Helvenston, Jerko Jerry’ Zovko, Wesley J.K. Batalona, and Michael R. Teague in March 2004 as they escorted a supply convoy through Fallujah, Iraq. The insurgents burned and mutilated the guards and strung two of the bodies from a bridge.

The scene, caught on camera and broadcast worldwide, prompted the US military to launch a three-week siege of Fallujah.

Blackwater also has asked a US court to move the dispute into arbitration, having failed so far to have the lawsuit dismissed.

Are the families enjoined by the merc's contracts. Am I also enjoined because I might have walked past one of the mercs on the street?

It shows the true nature of Blackwater.

sub-basement in the concept of shameless... (And here I thought I could no longer be astounded by anything.)

dollar lawsuit to get the to drop their lawsuit.

But then again, I cannot figure what the hell the families of the dead mercs think they can sue over. Those guys weren't drafted or forced to go into a 'war' zone, they went to Iraq on intentionally to cash in and make some big bucks being a 'soldier of fortune' as that corny old magazine was named.

I doubt that the families of any innocent dead Iraq that have been killed by bloody opportunists like them are going to be able to hire a lawyer and get their day in court anytime soon.

Lay down with dogs and one is very likely to get fleas.

I don't have any sympathy for any of them.

Don

Everyone has a reasonable expectation of security when a company sends them into a dangerous area of the world.

That Blackwater didn't assert due diligence is PLENTY reason to sue.

crazy.

assumption of risk clause in a contract like Blackwater. It's bad policy to have people sign away their reasonable right to safety which Blackwater has a responsibility, even in modicum, to protect.

It will unlikely get to a court because of the expense.

Unless the families are being represented pro-bono, they will probably drop their case in order for Blackwater to drop theirs. Defending themselves against Blackwater will be very very expensive.

same thing tobacco companies do. if you have deep pockets, you can bleed anyone who tries to tackle you.

people rail that we need tort reform -
ha!

sure there are "frivilous" lawsuits. good judges throw out a lot. but any suit against big business is a huge uphill battle with boulders and rolling down the hill

getting the evildoers into court and letting a panel of citizens review whether they really are polluters, killers, poisoners, etc. etc. is one of the few long-shot chances we have to pick away at the gordian knot of the militaryindustrialbigoil complex.

Lawyers like to make money, but most trial lawyers will not put up with being pushed around like that.

It takes a special kind of lawyer willing to put his career on the line for this fight. It will be expensive and most likely career breaking.

I'm not sure that the families have much of a case, but I don't see how they can be constrained by a contract they didn't sign.

I remember that being part of the official story- at least originally- but I don't recall any reports from the people in the convoy. At that time, the mercs were being described as "US contractors" and even "US troops" in our media.

IIRC, the car was hit with a rocket, so I suppose the truck or whatever they're supposed to have been escorting could've just continued on, but this story happened about the same time that reports were coming out of mercs acting as death squads in that area. It was also about the time that a small team was arrested by Iraqi police in that town and turned out to be British special forces with a car full of explosives, IIRC.

You take the risks, thus get paid handsomely for it? But trial courts are for wimps, surely?

that no wrongful death suits or any legal action, could be taken against private contractors in Iraq. So if you're an Iraqi, killed with no justification by a Blackwater mercenary, your family is out of luck.

This move by Blackwater is hardly surprising. They are in it for the money and nothing but the money. They don't care about their employees or the families of their employees at all.

The website for Iraq for Sale had this link to Defense Contractor contributions to Senators and their votes on an important amendment that was designed to curb abuse. Very illuminating stuff.

http://home.ourfuture.org/straighttalklive/war-profiteers_senate.html#1

Website for Iraq for Sale: http://iraqforsale.org/facts.php