AMY GOODMAN: Jeremy Scahill, thank you for being with us. JUAN GONZALEZ: Now, even in the training period at Blackwater, he began to find problems in terms of the quality of the training that was going on? COL. JOHN A. TOOLAN: Unfortunately, it was going out on CNN. Now, thats not unusual for, you know, a lifelong Republican to give that kind of money. They could have easily traveled this route in a single day, and it would have been extremely less dangerous. All four guards were shot and killed. But when these four men ended up in Fallujah that day, they were in Pajero jeeps that were not armored at all. And he came up to Scotts room a couple days before Scott was murdered and got into an altercation, and he took Scotts gun away from him. KATY HELVENSTON: Well, Donna Zovko and her husband Joe was there, and her son Tommy and his wife and kids were all there. MARC MILES: Thats correct. Blackwater was paying its men $600 a day but billing Regency $815, according to the Raleigh News and Observer. By the end of 2004 Blackwaters president, Gary Jackson, was bragging to the press of staggering 600 percent growth. Its that the United States has opened Iraqs door to mercenaries who roam the country with impunity. As always, click on the title of the post above. He was an incredible athlete his whole life. 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. Marc Miles, why is this lawsuit groundbreaking? And the guard that was in charge of me, I said, You know, you really need to do something about these helicopters. You know, and he left for a minute or two, and finally the helicopters went away. AMY GOODMAN: And so, were you able to talk out of the presence of the guards? v. Blackwater Security is the lawsuit for wrongful death filed by the families of the four contractors for Blackwater Security (since renamed Academi ) murdered in the 31 March 2004 Fallujah ambush. The GOPs War Against Trans People Is a War Against Democracy, Green Rationales for Harsher Immigration Policies Are Nothing New, Gun Violence: A Week of Response to the Weak Republican Response to Mass Shootings in the USA. correspondent Jeremy Scahill. Historical Amnesia About Slavery Is a Tool of White Supremacy. I had my bedroom phone ringer turned offI didnt get the call, so he left me a message. KBR/Halliburton refuses to discuss the matter and will not confirm any relationship with ESS. And I do want to say we invited Blackwater on the program today. After the killings, Blackwater released a statement saying the heinous mistreatment of our friends exhibits the extraordinary conditions under which we voluntarily work to bring freedom and democracy to the Iraqi people. By signing up to receive emails, you agree to receive occasional promotional offers for programs that support The Nation's journalism. Blackwater held a memorial service for the men at its compound. My family wouldnt let me read any of the articles, they were so graphic. PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH: I was going to ask him. I mean, Scotty excelled at anything he attempted, and he always had to be the best. We will hunt down the criminals. This was not a roadside bomb, it was not any other explosive device. With regard to the wrongful death of these four men, that face is Justin McQuown of Blackwater. The company refused to comment on the case, but McQuowns lawyer, William Crenshaw, told The Nation there are numerous serious factual errors in the lawsuit, saying, On behalf of Mr. McQuown, we extend our sincerest sympathies to the families of the deceased. [includes rush transcript]. AMY GOODMAN: But you did meet at the memorial service. This is a precedent-setting case, says Marc Miles, an attorney for the families. 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. You need to put a face on these acts. Erik Prince refused to speak to me. Marc Miles, attorney for the families of the four Blackwater contractors killed in Fallujah, March 31, 2004. I believe that we should have gone into Afghanistan, but I never believed we should have gone into Iraq, and Scott bought the whole story about Saddam Hussein being involved with Al Qaeda and all that. Many firms specializing in contractor law advertise the DBA as the best way for corporations servicing the war to avoid being sued. When they finally said Blackwater, I thought, and I just looked up on the internet and got an 800-number, and I called them, and I said, My name is Katy. I said, Scotty Helvenston is my son. None of that was true, says attorney Callahan. Had they been, I sincerely believe that theyd be alive today. ' Those were some of the last words Helvenston would ever write. Blackwater has fought to have the case dismissed by claiming that all liability lies not with the company but the U.S. government. We were actually told, recalls Zovkos mother, Danica, that if we wanted to see the paperwork of how my son and his co-workers were killed that wed have to sue them., Thus began the legal battle between Blackwater and the dead mens families. And they, at that time, asked specifically for the incident report and a copy of the contract. Please give today. But he chose to go with Blackwater, because they had a two-month contract, and he did not want to leave his children more than two months. The suit alleges that Blackwater trainer Justin "Shrek" McQuown resented Helvenston and deliberately reassigned Helvenston to the team that was ambushed. But, anyway, thats another story. I said, Ill take any statement you want to give. I wanted to interview Justin McQuown. Not so, say the families of the four men and their lawyers. HAROLD VIDINHA, Security Contractor: Wes was very upset because youre breaking your team, and youre putting people different people together. Erik Prince comes from a major powerful Republican family in Michigan. Thats not what I was hired to do. And at that point McQuown apparently told him that if he didnt do it, he would be fired immediately. He came from a proud family of Republicans; his great-great-uncle, Elihu Root, was once US Secretary of War and the 1912 Nobel Peace Prize-winner. But then, the other component to this is that the lawsuit alleges that this Blackwater manager, Justin McQuown, because of his personal animosity toward Scott Helvenston the lawsuit and Katy characterize it as Justin McQuown resented Scott. AMY GOODMAN: Marc, I just want to interrupt for one second. 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. JEREMY SCAHILL: Per day. McQuown refused to allow it. Tell us about your family, why he went into the military, and then what you understand about what he understood about the mission he went out on on March 31. And she was told that they would have to sue Blackwater to get that information. KATY HELVENSTON: Yeah. I couldnt believe I was talking to the man. They have no respect for the families. Democracy Now! Now, back in the United States, these killings were taken as a threat or a challenge to Americas resolve in the White House and immediately became a sort of turning point in the war. They were not provided with the armored vehicles or able to do the pre-trip inspection or the risk assessment. And theres all sorts of Scott speaks to us posthumously through his email, and I just want to read from this. Helvenston et al. MARTIN SMITH: Contractually, Blackwater was to supply two SUVs with three guards per vehicle. It is unusual, though, for the head of a company to cast its lot entirely with one party, and it has paid off, because Blackwater literally is making a killing right now, to the point where Gary Jackson, the president of Blackwater, after Bush won the election in 2004, sends out an email to Blackwaters mailing list that says, Bush wins, four more years!! And I called them, and I said, Thats just not acceptable. 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. 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. Potter didnt have any other gainful employment, because many of these men who are ex-military, their skills dont transfer easily into the civilian sector, he says, adding that after Potter was removed for blowing the whistle on the armor issue, the company abandoned him until they needed him to avoid this subpoena and this deposition and they said, We need you and we need you now. And zoom, off he goes. Blackwater subsequently attempted to have Potters deposition order dissolved, but a federal court said no. 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. People should understand, Scotty Helvenston wasnt even in Iraq for more than 48 hours before he was sent to Fallujah. He trained Demi Moore for her film G.I. Username. The suit alleges that there were six guards available that day, but McQuown intervened and ordered only the four to be sent. 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. Blackwater is scooping up lucrative Homeland Security contracts. JUAN GONZALEZ: And this is a series of articles about this incident? On occasion, Helvenston would attempt to politely assist McQuown by offering his expertise on the correct manner of the particular training exercise. Hooyah!!. He was dead. Surely there are other instances like this one with wrongful conduct involved, but, of course, we havent seen one single prosecution coming out of any contractors in Iraq, and that is essentially the entire focus of the litigation here. A monthly newsletter on the global fight for reproductive freedom. Scott Helvenston, Katys son, was the youngest Navy Seal ever. The producer Paul Howard says Bohm merges, into his [] It was a simple thing, really, that kicked off Suresh's career shift. KATY HELVENSTON: He was told that he was going to be security for the ambassador, Paul Bremer. They were escorting three empty trucks on their way to pick up some kitchen equipment at a base west of Fallujah. Instead, kitchen equipment, actually empty trucks that were going to get kitchen equipment. The killing was March 31. The real problem here is that we have corporate America involved. 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. We rely on contributions from our viewers and listeners to do our work. Later that night, according to Scotts mother, McQuown came up to Helvenstons hotel room. They had some rocks that they had kind of shaved off, and they had the name of each one of the men. Katy, of course, can talk about how Scott ended up going there. Lawyer Paul Dickinson: The U.S. KATY HELVENSTON: Yes, he was Demi Moores personal trainer for the G.I. During training, McQuown would often improperly instruct the class or provide erroneous information, tactics or techniques, the suit alleges. Within moments, their bodies are dragged from the vehicles and a crowd descends on them, tearing them to pieces. The families of the four men killed at Fallujah have filed a lawsuit charging the company with wrongful death. Helvenston began training at Blackwater USA's facilities in March 2004, and developed a personal conflict with head trainer Justin "Shrek" McQuown. That was an experience, and the way that show was produced, there was a lot of editing, and it really didnt happen the way it was produced. In this e-mail, obtained by The Nation, he complained that the behavior of McQuown (referred to as "Justin Shrek" in the e-mail) was "very manipulative, duplicitive [sic], immature and unprofessional." He describes how his original team leader tried to appeal to Shrek not to reassign him, but, Helvenston wrote, "I think [the team leader] felt . I mean, clear as day. Were also joined by Katy Helvenston, the mother of Scott Helvenston, who was killed that day, March 31, 2004 in Fallujah. Several armed men approach the two vehicles and open fire from behind, repeatedly shooting the men at point-blank range. You may unsubscribe or adjust your preferences at any time. The thing was see, I mean, they wouldnt even give him a map. 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.]. AMY GOODMAN: Well, what was the memorial service itself like? Explore Scott Helvenston net worth, bio, age, height, family, wiki, birthday, career, salary [Last Update 2021]! And finally, about midnight, I just started I started when Scotty was born, and I went through his entire life to some other unknown person on the other end at Blackwater, because I knew he was gone, and at 3:00 in the morning they finally said, Hes gone.. You know, I need to meet with these people.. 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. At our rooms. AMY GOODMAN: Months later. But today, Blackwater is facing a potentially devastating battlethis time not in Iraq but in court. His family is linked in with Richard DeVos, the Amway founder who basically funded the Republican revolution of the 1990s. dr mark weiss psychologist; evaluate crossword clue 4 letters; pitt county jail bookings twitter. Go ahead. Helvenston arrived in Kuwait on March 18, where he was under the management of John and Kathy Potter, whom he knew from Combat Missions. He believed in what he was doing. He also had a financial motivation. In addition, the paper reports, Blackwater billed Regency separately for all its overhead and costs in Iraq. Regency would then bill ESS an unknown amount for these services. JUAN GONZALEZ: And how unusual is it to take someone out of their team and assign them to another team and send them out on a mission? Several other contractors stepped forward, offering to go in his place. 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. But he says he was, quote, very manipulative, duplicative, immature and unprofessional.. The man heading the training was Justin McQuown, nicknamed Shrek, after the green ogre movie cartoon character. Well, he was a Navy Seal for about 12 years, and he resigned from the Navy, and times got tough. 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. 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. It was clear. JEREMY SCAHILL: A couple things here. I would support them in any way I could, but they had to figure out how to get through college. They have no respect for me or the other mothers or brothers or children. Helvenston arrived in Kuwait on March 18, where he was under the management of John and Kathy Potter, whom he knew from Combat Missions. And at that point, Scotty was desperate for money, and he went in there. To submit a correction for our consideration, click here. 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. So they were to escort these two E.S.S. Jane how to behave like Navy Seals. The families of the four men, led by Scott Helvenston's mother Katy Helvenston-Wettengel and Donna Zovko, Jerry Zovko's mother, filed suit against Blackwater with lawyer Daniel . Nation Books released his second book, Dirty Wars: The World Is a Battlefield, in 2013. In honor of Public Media Giving Days, a generous donor will DOUBLE your donation, which means itll go twice as far to support our independent journalism. And, in fact, the first day that they set out, they were so lost and it was getting late that they ended up staying at an army base on the east side of Fallujah. tn_subject: ['criminal-j', 'society', 'us-wars-an', 'war-and-pe', 'war-on-ter'], What theyre trying to do is to say, Lookwe can do anything we want and not be held accountable. But I can imagine that there may be other lawsuits to follow if these companies dont shape up and actually realize what theyre dealing with here. Ill only be away from my kids for a couple of months. Thats why he chose Blackwater, she recalls. This would have resulted in Blackwater losing profits and would also have delayed the start of the ESS job. Well, Scotty chose the military, and he wanted to continue his education through that. MARTIN SMITH: By the time the press arrived, a mob had set the cars on fire. Instead, the men set out at 8:30 in the morning with just two men per car, each short a rear gunner. The suit alleges that Blackwater trainer Justin "Shrek" McQuown resented Helvenston and deliberately reassigned Helvenston to the team that was ambushed. You need to show intent. KATY HELVENSTON: Yeah. Without a detailed map, they took the most direct route, through the center of Falluja. freestar.config.enabled_slots.push({ placementName: "thenation_right_rail", JEREMY SCAHILL: I was very diligent in trying to get Blackwater to make any comment. They charged the government $400,000 for 14 guys for 28 days in September of 2005 14 guys, $400,000 for 22 days in September. Thats why this case is being watched so closely by other firms operating in Iraq. Now, they were ultimately to get to the other side of Fallujah. 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. We will not be intimidated, he said. Why cant I have it tomorrow? And I said, Are you going to rewrite it for my eyes only? I mean and I never did get that report. He said, you know, I have to have my gun. And they took that away from him. AMY GOODMAN: Were going to talk to Marc Miles and also with Katy Helvenston. He swam like a fish. There should be three men per team. You know, at least I know he wasnt burned alive. KATY HELVENSTON: Yes. 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. This was not done, according to Miles, so as to pad Blackwaters bottom line and to impress ESS with Blackwaters efficiency in order to win more contracts. And they did approach the Zovkos and asked if they would meet Erik Prince in his office, and they did. This is a billion-dollar industry, Jackson said in October 2004. And there are other people that have talked to Katy and Marc that have affirmed all of this. 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. KATY HELVENSTON: And I had called I did several follow-up calls, and I said, I still dont have that information.. Locations: Summerfield FL, Ocklawaha FL, . Helvenston Et Al. [6] And so, corporate America is primarily concerned with their bottom line. And we knew that this was a key component of the insurgent strategy: Get the pictures out, make it look like theyre winning. And we welcome you all to Democracy Now! Insurgents would ambush them from behind. If he had had the armored vehicle, if he had had the rear gunner, if he had been familiar with the area He asked. v. Blackwater Security is the lawsuit for wrongful death filed by the families of the four contractors for Blackwater Security (since renamed Academi) murdered in the 31 March 2004 Fallujah ambush.The families of the four men, led by Scott Helvenston's mother Katy Helvenston-Wettengel and Donna Zovko, Jerry Zovko's mother, filed suit against Blackwater with lawyer Daniel . And I had no idea it was Scotty, but I saw this burning vehicle, and I just said, This is insane. And I switched stations. He had a job waiting for him, but he needed to make some money in those two months. rocky mountain prep fletcher staff navy seal scott helvenston death video Blackwater sent my son and the other three into Falluja knowing that there was a very good possibility this could happen, says Katy Helvenston, the mother of 38-year-old Scott Helvenston, whose charred body was hung from the Falluja bridge. KATY HELVENSTON: I think thats total garbage. In this email, Scott talked about Justin McQuown, who he refers to as "Justin Shrek." Scott apparently thought his actual name was "Shrek" because that's what everyone called him. I did want to ask you, Katy Helvenston, about the email that we got from Blackwater, from Chris Taylor, who said, Out of respect for the families and the integrity of the judicial proceedings, I cannot join you. Your response? The night before he left, Helvenston sent an e-mail to the Owner, President and Upper Management of Blackwater, subject: extreme unprofessionalism. In this e-mail, obtained by The Nation, he complained that the behavior of McQuown (referred to as Justin Shrek in the e-mail) was very manipulative, duplicitive [sic], immature and unprofessional. He describes how his original team leader tried to appeal to Shrek not to reassign him, but, Helvenston wrote, I think [the team leader] felt that there was a hidden agenda. The U.S. attack was sparked by the gruesome killing of four private contractors inside Fallujah. According to Department of Labor statistics, at least 425 U.S. civilians have died in Iraq including at least 22 Blackwater contractors. And just like any town in America of 20,000 to 30,000 folks, youre going to have situations where there are crimes committed and wrongful conduct. And by the end of the year, the companys president, Gary Jackson, was bragging of what he called a staggering 600% growth, and so Blackwaters prospects were very, very strong while the families were grieving. Obviously they concealed a material witness by hiring him and sending him out of the country. Callahan says Blackwater took advantage of the Potters financial straits to hinder the case against the company. Scott was tall, tan and chiseled and, by all accounts, a model soldier and athlete. You can read our Privacy Policy here. According to former Blackwater officials, Blackwater, Regency and ESS were engaged in a classic war-profiteering scheme.
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