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The War Profiteers - War Crimes,
Kidnappings & Torture |
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November 10th,
2009 - Settlement Falls Through in Blackwater Civil Suit |
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Settlement Falls
Through in Blackwater Civil Suit By Matthew Barakat Associated Press November 10, 2009 Alexandria, Va. - A
settlement in a civil suit against the government contractor once known as
Blackwater has apparently fallen apart after a plaintiff's lawyer said a
faulty translation prompted the decision to settle. But lawyers for the
company argue that a deal's a deal. Dozens of Iraqis, including
the estates of victims allegedly killed by Blackwater employees, sued the
North Carolina-based company earlier this year, alleging that Blackwater
employees engaged in indiscriminate killings and beatings. The two sides reached a
settlement late last week, and the plaintiffs filed papers to dismiss the
case. Terms were not disclosed, though one document states each side will pay
its own attorneys' fees. But the plaintiffs' lawyer,
Susan Burke, said Tuesday that the decision to settle was based on a
conversation with clients that was mistranslated. She wants to have the
lawsuit reinstated. Lawyers for the company, now
known as Xe, say a deal's a deal and they want the settlement to stand. Last month, a federal judge
tossed out the plaintiffs' complaint, saying he would only allow the case to
be refiled if they believed they could prove that Blackwater employees
intentionally killed and beat innocent Iraqis. He said that allegations of
acting recklessly or fostering a culture of lawlessness were insufficient to
sustain a case under the relevant federal law. The plaintiffs did refile
their case, alleging that the company's founder, Erik Prince, and other Blackwater
executives had "an intent to deploy a private army to kill and injure
innocent Iraqis." Blackwater held a contract
to protect State Department diplomats stationed in Iraq. The company has said the
lawsuit "is much more about attracting media attention than about
bringing legitimate claims to court." Five Blackwater security
guards are also facing criminal charges for allegedly killing 14 unarmed
Iraqi civilians in Baghdad in September 2007. Those shootings are included
among the allegations in the civil suit. Copyright © 2009 The
Associated Press. External link: http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hy2QyKtV5tXkSMrUcl6xMBnOuE2wD9BSUTO00 |