Blackwater Shooting Charges All Dismissed By Judge

2010-01-01 05:19:53

#1

Macbeth: Banned; +2,444|5584

A federal judge has dismissed criminal charges against five guards working for the security firm Blackwater who were accused of killing 17 unarmed Iraqi civilians. The killings strained US-Iraq relations and sparked an outcry over the military's use of private contractors.

Judge Ricardo Urbina said US Justice Department prosecutors improperly built their case on sworn statements that had been given under a promise of immunity. The judge did not rule on the substance of the charges against the security guards. As government contractors, the Blackwater employees were required to speak to an investigator after a shooting.

Judge Urbina said the use of these statements violated the defendants' rights against compelled self-incrimination.

''In their zeal to bring charges against the defendants … the Government used compelled statements to guide its charging decisions … and ultimately, to obtain the indictment in this case,'' the judge said in a 90-page opinion on Thursday. Because the indictment was thrown out on legal grounds, the Government could order an appeal. It could also charge the guards again, although a new prosecution could be difficult, given the judge's finding that the case was so thoroughly tainted.

http://www.smh.com.au/world/blackwater- … -llsa.html
Great news. IMO.

On another news site wrote:
It was unclear what the ruling means for a sixth Blackwater guard, Jeremy Ridgeway, who turned on his former colleagues and pleaded guilty to killing one Iraqi and wounding another. Had he gone to trial, the case against him would likely have fallen apart, but it's unclear whether Urbina will let him out of his plea deal.

enjoy prison you treacherous cunt.

2010-01-01 05:23:55

#2

Mekstizzle: WALKER; +3,611|6619|London, England

Wait, why is it great news that a bunch of guys who killed unarmed civilians basically got away with it, and the one guy who does plead guilty, he's the worst of them all according to you? What type of fucked up logic is that?

Do you know what this shit will do? Make things worse for the people still in Iraq. Why don't you go and gloat and smile to the poor bastards who will now have to face the backlash in Iraq.

Last edited by Mekstizzle (2010-01-01 05:26:32)

2010-01-01 05:32:10

#3

AussieReaper: ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°); +5,761|6151|what

You don't plead guilty unless you are, or think that the evidence will prove it even if you are innocent.

Judge Ricardo Urbina said US Justice Department prosecutors improperly built their case on sworn statements that had been given under a promise of immunity

These guys got off on a poor prosecution case. This isn't good news.

2010-01-01 05:33:06

#4

Macbeth: Banned; +2,444|5584

Mekstizzle wrote:
Wait, why is it great news that a bunch of guys who killed unarmed civilians basically got away with it, and the one guy who does plead guilty, he's the worst of them all according to you? What type of fucked up logic is that?

Do you know what this shit will do? Make things worse for the people still in Iraq. Why don't you go and gloat and smile to the poor bastards who will now have to face the backlash in Iraq.

It's good news because the government didn't get to railroad the blackwater guys just to appease the Iraqi government.

2010-01-01 05:35:18

#5

AussieReaper: ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°); +5,761|6151|what

Macbeth wrote:
It's good news because the government didn't get to railroad the blackwater guys just to appease the Iraqi government.

Or bring to justice the men who killed unarmed civilians?

2010-01-01 05:37:23

#6

Mekstizzle: WALKER; +3,611|6619|London, England

Macbeth wrote:
Mekstizzle wrote:
Wait, why is it great news that a bunch of guys who killed unarmed civilians basically got away with it, and the one guy who does plead guilty, he's the worst of them all according to you? What type of fucked up logic is that?

Do you know what this shit will do? Make things worse for the people still in Iraq. Why don't you go and gloat and smile to the poor bastards who will now have to face the backlash in Iraq.
It's good news because the government didn't get to railroad the blackwater guys just to appease the Iraqi government.

Well that's stupid. Enjoy your little win with this one over them damn 'rackies, but in the long term it'll just mean more shit in the fan. I don't see why you see it as a case of appeasement, I mean at the end of the day, from what I gather it was pretty damning that they killed lots of civilians, you gotta question yourself when you're basically happy with letting murderers get away with the act just because you're not appeasing a bunch of silly Muslims or whatever.

It's quite a stupid way of thinking really. You value silly little diplomatic gestures and personal grievances about Iraqis, things like that, over the bigger picture.

2010-01-01 05:37:27

#7

Macbeth: Banned; +2,444|5584

AussieReaper wrote:
Macbeth wrote:
It's good news because the government didn't get to railroad the blackwater guys just to appease the Iraqi government.
Or bring to justice the men who killed unarmed civilians?

Allegedly they were never found guilty in any court.

2010-01-01 05:53:42

#8

AussieReaper: ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°); +5,761|6151|what

Would you say they were found innocent?

Last edited by AussieReaper (2010-01-01 05:55:10)

2010-01-01 05:58:43

#9

ruisleipa: Member; +149|6220|teh FIN-land

Macbeth wrote:
AussieReaper wrote:
Macbeth wrote:
It's good news because the government didn't get to railroad the blackwater guys just to appease the Iraqi government.
Or bring to justice the men who killed unarmed civilians?
Allegedly they were never found guilty in any court.

yeah but only because the prosecution fucked up. Those blackwater guys are just thugs and mercenaries. I'd happily see em all go away for the rest of their lives.

2010-01-01 06:06:36

#10

Spearhead: Gulf coast redneck hippy; +731|6688|Tampa Bay Florida

Who here is not surprised?

*raises hand*

2010-01-01 06:06:55

#11

Dilbert_X: The X stands for; +1,810|6104|eXtreme to the maX

Hmm.

Afghans and Iraqis can be convicted on evidence obtained from torture.
Americans go free because the prosecution used the wrong set of interview notes.

Those guys should have been sent to Guantanamo and waterboarded until they admitted their guilt.
Oh wait, they're white, my bad.

Русский военный корабль, иди на хуй!

2010-01-01 06:56:11

#12

Spark: liquid fluoride thorium reactor; +874|6673|Canberra, AUS

Prosecutors are fucking stupid. Sorry, I don't see any way around this. If that sworn statement is given under those conditions it should have not been used to incriminate. I think in their zealousness to punish the fuckers they forgot what kind of country they were serving.

The paradox is only a conflict between reality and your feeling what reality ought to be.
^{~ Richard Feynman}

2010-01-01 07:38:10

#13

ghettoperson: Member; +1,943|6647

Macbeth wrote:
Mekstizzle wrote:
Wait, why is it great news that a bunch of guys who killed unarmed civilians basically got away with it, and the one guy who does plead guilty, he's the worst of them all according to you? What type of fucked up logic is that?

Do you know what this shit will do? Make things worse for the people still in Iraq. Why don't you go and gloat and smile to the poor bastards who will now have to face the backlash in Iraq.
It's good news because the government didn't get to railroad the blackwater guys just to appease the Iraqi government.

You're such a cock it's not even funny.

2010-01-01 10:28:22

#14

ROGUEDD: BF2s. A Liberal Gang of Faggots.; +452|5387|Fuck this.

Dilbert_X wrote:
Hmm.

Afghans and Iraqis can be convicted on evidence obtained from torture.
Americans go free because the prosecution used the wrong set of interview notes.

Those guys should have been sent to Guantanamo and waterboarded until they admitted their guilt.
Oh wait, they're white, my bad.

QFT

Make X-meds a full member, for the sake of 15 year old anal gangbang porn watchers everywhere!

2010-01-01 13:03:05

#15

lowing: Banned; +1,662|6649|USA

ruisleipa wrote:
Macbeth wrote:
AussieReaper wrote:
Or bring to justice the men who killed unarmed civilians?
Allegedly they were never found guilty in any court.
yeah but only because the prosecution fucked up. Those blackwater guys are just thugs and mercenaries. I'd happily see em all go away for the rest of their lives.

Oh well, so much for innocent until proven guilty, as I am SURE you would expect no less of a burden for Islamic terrorists.

One thing I do notice about this is, the irony that plays out when Islamic law is now all of a sudden mortified and outraged over the death of some civilians, while attrocities are carried out every day in the name of Islam without so much as a wimper by the Islamic faithful. Where was Islamic outrage over the US citizens hanging from a bridge, or the beheading videos, or the stonings, or the honor killings? Yeah, NOW they are outraged, what a joke.

Last edited by lowing (2010-01-01 13:12:39)

2010-01-01 13:20:50

#16

FatherTed: xD; +3,936|6498|so randum

this thread isn't about islam k

Small hourglass island
Always raining and foggy
Use an umbrella

2010-01-01 13:40:21

#17

lowing: Banned; +1,662|6649|USA

FatherTed wrote:
this thread isn't about islam k

I'm sorry, I thought it was being discussed about "back lash", and "retaliations", and being "in greater danger" all because of this.

Yes my point is valid. NOW all of a sudden, there is outrage, and justice is demanded, while all of the injustices committed by this religion goes largely ignore, or applauded.

Sorry it is inconvenient but it is a valid point. "K"

2010-01-01 15:19:29

#18

lowing: Banned; +1,662|6649|USA

Where is the outrage and demands of justice here?

http://www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/asiapcf/0 … index.html

2010-01-01 17:37:09

#19

Ottomania: Troll has returned.; +62|6519|Istanbul-Turkey

lowing wrote:
Where is the outrage and demands of justice here?

http://www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/asiapcf/0 … index.html

At least responsibles havent been proven innocent in front of the judge.

2010-01-01 17:57:15

#20

Hurricane2k9: Pendulous Sweaty Balls; +1,538|5700|College Park, MD

Lowing, it's what makes us better than them. It's like the Navy SEALs on trial for punching a guy after they had taken him into custody. Yeah the scumbag had it coming, but it was out of proper operating procedure to do that. What makes us different from those animals is that we create a set of values and rules, and we live by them. If we just let the SEALs get away with breaking procedure, well what's next? Sure right now it was just punching a terrorist, but where would it stop?

https://static.bf2s.com/files/user/36793/marylandsig.jpg

2010-01-01 17:58:52

#21

Poseidon: Fudgepack DeQueef; +3,253|6536|Long Island, New York

Hurricane2k9 wrote:
Lowing, it's what makes us better than them. It's like the Navy SEALs on trial for punching a guy after they had taken him into custody. Yeah the scumbag had it coming, but it was out of proper operating procedure to do that. What makes us different from those animals is that we create a set of values and rules, and we live by them. If we just let the SEALs get away with breaking procedure, well what's next? Sure right now it was just punching a terrorist, but where would it stop?

Oh but didn't you know, if we let the US Military go free we'd have won the war in Afghanistan by now.

2010-01-01 18:17:11

#22

Spark: liquid fluoride thorium reactor; +874|6673|Canberra, AUS

Ottomania wrote:
lowing wrote:
Where is the outrage and demands of justice here?

http://www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/asiapcf/0 … index.html
At least responsibles havent been proven innocent in front of the judge.

That's not how it works.

Last edited by Spark (2010-01-01 18:17:31)

The paradox is only a conflict between reality and your feeling what reality ought to be.
^{~ Richard Feynman}

2010-01-01 19:19:44

#23

mikkel: Member; +383|6599

One would have hoped that the government could have fielded a prosecution at least approaching competent.

2010-01-01 23:33:33

#24

Dilbert_X: The X stands for; +1,810|6104|eXtreme to the maX

Spark wrote:
If that sworn statement is given under those conditions it should have not been used to incriminate.

Apparently the judge expected the prosecution to prove they did not use certain interview notes as part of their planning of the investigation, not that they were going to be used in evidence.
Next to impossible to do really.

Mikkel wrote:
One would have hoped that the government could have fielded a prosecution at least approaching competent.

Often thats how it works when the govt does not want a prosecution to succeed, put together a crap case and let the judge throw it out.
Justice is seen to be done, although there was never any intention it really would be.

Русский военный корабль, иди на хуй!

2010-01-02 01:09:21

#25

Spark: liquid fluoride thorium reactor; +874|6673|Canberra, AUS

Apparently the judge expected the prosecution to prove they did not use certain interview notes as part of their planning of the investigation, not that they were going to be used in evidence.
Next to impossible to do really.

That's the prosecution's problem, not the judge's. The burden of proof lies always on the prosecutors to prove their case is watertight.

The paradox is only a conflict between reality and your feeling what reality ought to be.
^{~ Richard Feynman}

BF2S Forums Blackwater Shooting Charges All Dismissed By Judge

On another news site wrote:

Mekstizzle wrote:

Macbeth wrote:

Macbeth wrote:

Mekstizzle wrote:

AussieReaper wrote:

Macbeth wrote:

Macbeth wrote:

AussieReaper wrote:

Macbeth wrote:

Macbeth wrote:

Mekstizzle wrote:

Dilbert_X wrote:

ruisleipa wrote:

Macbeth wrote:

AussieReaper wrote:

FatherTed wrote:

lowing wrote:

Hurricane2k9 wrote:

Ottomania wrote:

lowing wrote:

Spark wrote:

Mikkel wrote:

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