He swam like a fish. Would he speak to them? JUAN GONZALEZ: Marc Miles, I would like to ask you, obviously there have been about 425, now, Americans who have been working for contractors who have been killed in Iraq. covers war or gun violence, were not brought to you by the weapons manufacturers. Blackwater is being sued for the wrongful deaths of Stephen Scott Helvenston, Mike Teague, Jerko Zovko and Wesley Batalona by the families of the men slain in Falluja. ease arkansas phone number What happened that day, as far as you have been able to understand and as your lawsuit alleges? Without a detailed map, they took the most direct route, through the center of Falluja. KATY HELVENSTON: Well, apparently he had the audacity to suggest that maybe there was a better way of running these certain missions, in that the people who were subcontracting out with Blackwater would actually survive the mission. They were killed by insurgents literally walking up and shooting them with small-arms fire. And five seconds after I connected to that line, Erik Prince was on the phone. Hooyah! Instead, this team was sent out without the required equipment and personnel by those in charge at Blackwater.. cid exam previous question papers. But three days before the deposition, Miles says, Blackwater hired Potter up, flew him to Washington where its my understanding he met with Blackwater representatives and their lawyers. He was a great golfer. Name. It seemed like an ideal situation for him, as two of his friends from his days on the reality TV show Combat Missions were helping to run the Blackwater operations: John and Kathy Potter. And I do want to say we invited Blackwater on the program today. This is not even close. As always, click on the title of the post above. Were talking about a groundbreaking lawsuit that has been filed against Blackwater. Unbeknownst to Helvenston, this goal would drive a series of events that would ultimately lead to his death. They do not deny that the men were aware of the risks they were taking, but they charge that Blackwater knowingly refused to provide guaranteed safeguards, among them: They would have armored vehicles; there would be three men in each vehiclea driver, a navigator and a rear gunner; and the rear gunner would be armed with a heavy automatic weapon, such as a SAW Mach 46, which can fire up to 850 rounds per minute, allowing the gunner to fight off any attacks from the rear. According to the suit, McQuown lacked the credentials of Helvenston and other ex-SEALs. } Well, that left Scott no choice. His mother says he took the job with Blackwater because the company offered short-term, two-month contracts, and Scott viewed it as an opportunity to turn his life around. trucks from a city of Taji to an army base, which is on the west side of Fallujah. Scott Helvenston Net Worth 2023: Wiki Bio, Married, Dating, Family And so, did they assume the risk? Attorney Marc Miles says that shortly after the suit was filed, he asked the court in North Carolina for an expedited order to depose John Potter. He had two men with him that held Scotty down. He spent 12 years in the Navy SEALs until he left in 1994 as an E-6 (Quartermaster First Class).Helvenston began training at Blackwater USA's facilities in March 2004, and developed a personal conflict with head trainer Justin "Shrek" McQuown. Blood is Thicker Than Blackwater - Alternet.org AMY GOODMAN: And so, were you able to talk out of the presence of the guards? tn_loc:'atf' Also with us, attorney Marc Miles, who joins us from studio in Irvine, California. And he did say, Well, its nice to meet you, and then he turned around and left. MARC MILES: Thats correct. Once the cover boy on a Navy calendar, he also had several workout videos. If you visit us daily or weekly or even just once a month, now is a great time to make your monthly contribution. Wikizero - Helvenston v. Blackwater Security The producer Paul Howard says Bohm merges, into his [] It was a simple thing, really, that kicked off Suresh's career shift. They got so lost that first day that they had to spend the night in a different camp, somewhere that they werent even intending on going. The suit alleges that Blackwater trainer Justin "Shrek" McQuown resented Helvenston and deliberately reassigned Helvenston to the team that was ambushed. There is not a whole lot of jobs out there for ex-Special Forces guys, and obviously he didnt realize that at the time. It is one of the most infamous incidents of the war in Iraq: On March 31, 2004, four private American security contractors get lost and end up driving through the center of Falluja, a hotbed of Sunni resistance to the US occupation. They could have easily traveled this route in a single day, and it would have been extremely less dangerous. Helvenston arrived in Kuwait on March 18, where he was under the management of John and Kathy Potter, whom he knew from Combat Missions. Scott Helvenston Net Worth & Bio/Wiki 2018: Facts Which You Must To Know! 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It was about what happened to Scotty and Jerry and Mike and Wesley. tn_subject: ['criminal-j', 'society', 'us-wars-an', 'war-and-pe', 'war-on-ter'], When Helvenston set off for the Middle East, his family thought he was going to be working on Blackwaters high-profile job of guarding the head of the US occupation, Paul Bremer. To submit a correction for our consideration, click here. Scott was tall, tan and chiseled and, by all accounts, a model soldier and athlete. He was taken out of that team and put in with men that were wonderful, good people, but he had never met them, he had never worked with them. AMY GOODMAN: Months later. The original contract between Blackwater/Regency and ESS, obtained by The Nation, recognized that the current threat in the Iraqi theater of operations would remain consistent and dangerous, and called for a minimum of three men in each vehicle on security missions with a minimum of two armored vehicles to support ESS movements. [Emphasis added.]. Katy, of course, can talk about how Scott ended up going there. Blackwater held a memorial service for the men at its compound. And theres all sorts of Scott speaks to us posthumously through his email, and I just want to read from this. However, when youre talking about an assumption of the risk, youre talking about a calculated assumption of risk. Yes. For Reprints and Permissions, click here. As it turned out, Helvenston was slated to carry out a far less glamorous task. And both the boys knew that if they were going to go through college, they had to figure out a way. placementName: "thenation_right_rail", After Terminal Cancer Diagnosis, Daniel Ellsberg Reflects on Leaking Pentagon Papers & His Legacy, Daniel Ellsberg Warns Risk of Nuclear War Is Rising as Tension Mounts over Ukraine & Taiwan, Zooey Zephyr, Montanas First Trans Lawmaker, Speaks Out After Being Banned & Silenced by Republicans, Rising Tide of Fascism: Tennessee Rep. Justin Jones Warns of GOPs Growing Embrace of Authoritarianism, Courage Is Contagious: Zooey Zephyr & Justin Jones on the GOPs Silencing of State Lawmakers. And I had actually flown up there one weekend and spent the weekend with them. MARC MILES: Well, its important and its groundbreaking and its precedent-setting, because were working in such a unique situation here, where we have private American companies working within a war zone. They didnt find out that they were lied to until they got into Baghdad and basically had no option but to go forward. Helvenston arrived in Kuwait on March 18, where he was under the management of John and Kathy Potter, whom he knew from Combat Missions . However, Iraq is clearly not currently capable of enforcing its laws, much less against you know, over our American military contractors. Scott Helvenston | Military Wiki | Fandom Given the uncounted tens of thousands of Iraqis who have died since the invasion and the slaughter in Falluja that followed the Blackwater incident, some might say this lawsuit is just warmongers bickeringno honor among thieves. And I had turned off the ringer on my bedroom phone, and he left this message, and he said, Mom, Im okay. If it had been up to Katy Helvenston, her son wouldnt have been in Iraq at all. Scott Helvenston - Wikipedia It was one of these reality TV things. This is viewer supported news. This is a rush transcript. At the top, the federal government could be getting billed as much as like $2,000 $1,500 to $2,000 for these men. And we knew that this was a key component of the insurgent strategy: Get the pictures out, make it look like theyre winning. The suit also alleges that McQuown intentionally refused to allow the Blackwater security contractors to conduct ride-alongs with the teams they were replacing from Control Risk Group. The lawsuit alleges that these men were defrauded, because Blackwater failed to provide them with the basic minimal guarantees of their contract, among them that they would be in armored vehicles, that they would have heavy weapons, something like a SAW Mach 46 machine gun that could fire up to 850 rounds per minute, and its very key. So, why would you think that under U.S. laws the company should be held responsible for what happens over there in Iraq? They wrote back to us and said, Out of respect for the families and the integrity of the judicial proceedings, I cannot join you. For most people, the gruesome killings were the first they had ever heard of Blackwater USA, a small, North Carolina-based private security company. AMY GOODMAN: Were you all in the same hotel? That, in and of itself, is quite unusual, that these guys would not get a chance to acclimate themselves to the very hostile environment that theyre going to be operating in. I couldnt believe I was talking to the man. Regards, Chris Taylor of Blackwater.. Please do your part today. The families of the four men killed at Fallujah have filed a lawsuit charging the company with wrongful death. AMY GOODMAN: What about the other families? There he was. And then you are sending them in undermanned. You raised a whole issue of the contract that required a risk assessment on their part and an overview of the mission that they were involved in. The suit further alleges that McQuown intervened and ordered only a four-man team be sent, although six were available, the other two remaining to perform clerical duties. Explore Scott Helvenston net worth, bio, age, height, family, wiki, birthday, career, salary [Last Update 2021]! They were vulnerable and obvious. And so, I called a really good friend of mine, and they were godparents to both my children. KATY HELVENSTON: It was a brand-new area. Ill only be away from my kids for a couple of months. Thats why he chose Blackwater, she recalls. [6] And Im thinking this isnt even close to what Blackwater told me. On April 17, President Bush spoke at the School of Advanced International Studies at Johns Hopkins University. Their bodies were pulled into the streets, burned and their charred remains were beaten and dismembered. The men, it goes on, would be alive today had Blackwater not forced themunder threat of being firedto go unprepared on that mission. The suit alleges that Blackwater trainer Justin "Shrek" McQuown resented Helvenston and deliberately reassigned Helvenston to the team that was ambushed. At 17 he made history by becoming the youngest person ever to complete the rigorous Navy SEAL program. Jane movie, and he ended up playing a small role on the film, because the guy that was supposed to play the Navy Seal instructor was terrified of the ocean. They didnt have a rear gunner. I sent them, I think, seven or eight more emails, including one that just said, If you dont comment, youre not going to be represented in the piece, other than what I can find in the media, because these are very serious allegations, and it looks bad for you to not say anything about it. Theres a lot of innocent people that have died. While this suit doesnt mention the retaliatory US attack on Falluja that followed the Blackwater killings, the case is significant because it could blow the lid off a system that allows corporations to face zero liability while reaping huge profits in Iraq and other war zones. Its a well-connected, Republican-controlled business that has made its fortune because of the Bush Administration. But when these four men ended up in Fallujah that day, they were in Pajero jeeps that were not armored at all. KATY HELVENSTON: Yes. But he says he was, quote, very manipulative, duplicative, immature and unprofessional.. AMY GOODMAN: An excerpt from _Frontline_s program Private Warriors, documentary on the role of private military contractors working in Iraq. And so, literally, the people that killed them were able to walk up and open fire on them. The suit alleges that Blackwater trainer Justin "Shrek" McQuown resented Helvenston and deliberately reassigned Helvenston to the team that was ambushed. KATY HELVENSTON: Yes, and Mark Burnett produced that movie. Helvenston arrived in Kuwait on March 18, where he was under the management of John and Kathy Potter, whom he knew from Combat Missions. navy seal scott helvenston death video - indigocreativity.com About: Scott Helvenston AMY GOODMAN: What did he think he was going to be doing? The day after the killings, Erik Prince hired the Alexander Strategy Group its a now-disgraced lobbying firm, but it once was very powerful; it was Tom DeLays private lobbying firm, basically hired the Alexander Strategy Group to manage the newfound fame of Blackwater. And Scott says, Youre nuts, you know, he says, Im not goin in there to Falluja. Helvenston began training at Blackwater USA's facilities in March 2004, and developed a personal conflict with head trainer Justin "Shrek" McQuown. Not so, say the families of the four men and their lawyers. These four guys were sent out without armor, without the adequate guns, without adequate personnel, and Blackwater takes it as a moment to say, 'Hey, we're famous now. A new firefighter goes through the academy, is shown all these big hook-and-ladder trucks and pumpers and engines, all this equipment, and then is told to run into a burning building where a family is inside, but is given nothing other than a squirt gun. targeting:{ And, Katy, I know this is difficult for you, and its the first time youre speaking out in a live national broadcast, but I would like to step back for a minute and have you tell us about your son Scott. When Democracy Now! For more on this ground-breaking lawsuit, we are joined by the three guests: JUAN GONZALEZ: This is an excerpt from _Frontline_s program Private Warriors, a documentary on the role of private military contractors working in Iraq. The commander responsible for Fallujah was Marine Colonel John Toolan. Its that the United States has opened Iraqs door to mercenaries who roam the country with impunity. And, Mr. President, how do you propose to bring private military contractors under a system of law? He trained Demi Moore for her film G.I. Blackwater was paying its men $600 a day but billing Regency $815, according to the Raleigh News and Observer. K.B.R. In an expose in the new issue of the Nation magazine, independent journalist Jeremy Scahill tells the story of the struggle of the four families of the slain Blackwater contractors to hold those responsible for their deaths accountable. It was the event that sparked the U.S. siege of Fallujah, in which hundreds and hundreds of Iraqis were killed, many of them who had nothing to do with this whatsoever women, children, others. So, essentially, they had G.P.S. Trumps Blackwater Pardons Took It Away. But while the families were grieving, Blackwater viewed it as a profit opportunity. And then I finally got one email back from Chris Taylor, who you guys also were dealing with, whos the Blackwater vice president. We rely on contributions from our viewers and listeners to do our work. Helvenston's contract Helvenston began training at Blackwater USA's facilities in March 2004, and developed a personal conflict with head trainer Justin "Shrek" McQuown. KATY HELVENSTON: Well, not just at the memorial service. The man heading the training was Justin McQuown, nicknamed Shrek, after the green ogre movie cartoon character. Blackwater and this lawsuit is going to be the first of its kind, and its going to go forward, and were going to go into trial and prove all of the allegations that weve set forward. The problem is that theyre working outside of the military structure, and therefore theyre not subject to court-martial or any particular chain of command, while at the same time theyre working within a country, such as Iraq, which really doesnt have a civil justice system or a police force, which would be able to hold American private security contractors accountable or liable for any of the conduct that they do over there. Helvenston began training at Blackwater USA's facilities in March 2004, and developed a personal conflict with head trainer Justin "Shrek" McQuown. And so, in that whole pyramid scheme, what you saw was Blackwater had a subcontract with this Kuwaiti company, and the Kuwaiti company had the contract with E.S.S., so the contract with E.S.S., the company that provides the catering services, said explicitly because there is a very serious security situation in Fallujah it actually names Fallujah as one of the cities these men need to be traveling in armored vehicles. So they were easy to pick out. The suit further alleges that McQuown intervened and ordered only a four-man team be sent, although six were available, the other two remaining to perform clerical duties. AMY GOODMAN: And then he was in a Survivor-like program called Combat Missions? Erik Prince, himself, for this piece I worked with the Center for Public Integrity, and we put together a profile of Erik Princes familys political contributions. [includes rush transcript]. COL. JOHN A. TOOLAN: Unfortunately, it was going out on CNN. The remains of two of the men are strung up on a bridge over the Euphrates River and left to dangle. This is what delegationI dont mean to be dodging the question, although its kind of convenient in this case, but never[laughter] I really willIm going to call the Secretary and say you brought up a very valid question, and what are we doing about it? According to the suit, McQuown lacked the credentials of Helvenston and other ex-SEALs. I would support them in any way I could, but they had to figure out how to get through college. And like thousands and thousands of people in this war, their financial situation was one of the motivations that brought them to Iraq, where they could some of these guys would make $600 a paycheck in the United States, and they could make $600 a day by going to work for Blackwater or DynCorp or other companies. Were joined in our New York studio by Democracy Now! He was divorced but continued to support his ex-wife and two children. Scotty had tried to call me in the middle of the night, Katy Helvenston remembers. But their personal contracts also warned of death and/or injury caused by everything from civil uprising and terrorist activity to poisoning and flying debris. In filing its motion to dismiss the lawsuit, Blackwater quoted from its standard contract, insisting that those who sign it fully appreciate the dangers and voluntarily assume these risks as well as any other risks in any way (whether directly or indirectly) connected to the Engagement.. When they took that word armored out, Blackwater was able to save $1.5 million in not buying armored vehicles, which they could then put in their pocket, says attorney Miles. JUAN GONZALEZ: But, Marc Miles, Blackwater can claim that the men who sign on with them know exactly the kind of dangers that theyre going into, that they signed contracts that recognized the possible dangers and loss of life or injury that they may suffer. But Blackwater was not aware of that. And only the one person that survived the thing, and the whole team had to survive, so if someone on a team didnt make it through, then the whole team was pretty much eliminated. Initially they put us in separate hotels. A Blackwater official later boasted, the suit says, that they saved two lives by not sending all six men. Hidden Potential Official Site. Our Daily Digest brings Democracy Now! Hooyah!!. Its natural to assume that the visibility of the dangers could drive up salaries for the folks who have to stand in the path of the bullets, he said. Name. The men were working for Blackwater USA, one of the biggest security firms operating in Iraq. Blackwater said that they would be operating in armored vehicles. AMY GOODMAN: Jeremy Scahill, unfortunately, we were not able to get Blackwater on, writing us the letter and saying no. The suit further alleges that McQuown intervened and ordered only a four-man team be sent, although six were available, the other two remaining to perform clerical duties. AMY GOODMAN: Were going to break, Katy. They assumed the risk based upon a number of representations that Blackwater gave to them. Later that night, according to Scotts mother, McQuown came up to Helvenstons hotel room. Scott Helvenston - Reality TV World Altogether an estimated 20,000 non-Iraqi civilian contractors are now working for the United States inside Iraq. Erik Prince refused to speak to me. AMY GOODMAN: At the memorial service for your son? Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License, Fighting in Sudan Persists Despite Extended Ceasefires as U.N. KATY HELVENSTON: I called Blackwater at about 7:00 at night. Justin Shreck. According to former Blackwater officials, Blackwater, Regency and ESS were engaged in a classic war-profiteering scheme. And they said contractor, and I was thinking of maybe they were working on the pipelines, oil lines or something. And I presume that thats the defense that Blackwater is going to make. Scotty chose Blackwater, because they had a two-month contract, and he could be back home. AMY GOODMAN: But you did meet at the memorial service. So they announced there was going to be a memorial service after you made the call to the head of Blackwater, asking for an incident report. In fairness, though, Justin McQuowns lawyer William Crenshaw did issue a statement to me, in which he said that there were numerous serious inaccuracies in the piece, and then he said that on behalf of his client Justin McQuown, that he wanted to extend his sympathy to the families and called it regrettable that anyone would imply that Justin McQuown had anything to do with the tragedy of what happened in Fallujah. Was this months later, weeks later? This is a precedent-setting case, says Marc Miles, an attorney for the families. AMY GOODMAN: Were talking about a groundbreaking lawsuit against Blackwater, the security contractor in Iraq. The fact that these four Americans found themselves located in the high-risk, war-torn City of Fallujah without armored vehicles, automatic weapons, and fewer than the minimum number of team members was no accident, the suit alleges. This is a billion-dollar industry, Jackson said in October 2004. Many firms specializing in contractor law advertise the DBA as the best way for corporations servicing the war to avoid being sued. Theyre the whores of war.. So what this lawsuit is about, its about creating accountability for those firms, those private military firms that are working in Iraq, and its also not only about holding Blackwater accountable for these four deaths, but its also about sending a message to the other private security firms out there that they cannot cut costs to increase their bottom line and put lives at risk. The suit further alleges that McQuown intervened and ordered only a four-man team be sent, although six were available, the other two remaining to perform clerical duties . But, anyway, thats another story. This is about holding Blackwater accountable and about creating accountable and sending a message to other private military firms operating over there. Were gonna go have fun. The article is called Blood Is Thicker Than Blackwater. And I said, What do you mean you dont know? And they said, We dont know. And I said, Well, dont you know where your employees are? And they said, Not really., And I was on the phone. Jane), and was also featured in the reality shows Combat . I did get a call a few days later, and they all of a sudden were going to have this grand memorial. While some of that may be legitimate defense tactics, the lawyers argue that the company has actively prevented court-ordered depositions from taking place, including taking steps to prevent a key witness from testifying: John Potter, the man who blew the whistle on Blackwaters removal of the word armored from the contract and was subsequently removed. Today is the first of two Public Media Giving Days, a time to celebrate what public and independent media gives to you by giving back. Over a thousand people died because of what happened to Scotty that day, says Katy Helvenston. They were not provided with the six folks that they were supposed to have in each vehicle. JUAN GONZALEZ: Jeremy, in your article, you talk about some of the contracts that you were able to get copies of, where actually Blackwater was subcontracting to others, but in their contract they deleted certain provisions of the protections of these men, and the men actually complained about it, the superiors complained about it. They say Blackwater refused to redraft the contract. He said, Give us a map. And they said, Youre going to have to wing it.. Find 1 person named Justin Shreck along with free Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok profiles on PeekYou - true people search. You dont just stick a Navy Seal on a brand new team with guys and send them into a combat zone.
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