It was clear. We have seen numbers in the range of 20,000 to 30,000 contractors working in Iraq. I asked your Secretary of Defense a couple of months ago what law governs their actions. And they did approach the Zovkos and asked if they would meet Erik Prince in his office, and they did. He trained Demi Moore for her film G.I. The commander responsible for Fallujah was Marine Colonel John Toolan. Warns of Humanitarian Breaking Point, Israeli Forces Kill Two More Palestinian Teens in Occupied West Bank, Over 200 Bodies of Drowned Migrants Found by Tunisian Coast Guards in Less Than 2 Weeks, Santiago Pea Elected President of Paraguay, Keeping Dominant Pro-Taiwan Party in Power, Climate Defiance: Protesters Disrupt White House Correspondents Dinner, Montana Governor Signs Ban on Gender-Affirming Care for Transgender Minors, First Republic Becomes Second-Largest Bank to Fail in U.S. History, Texas Suspect Used AR-15 Rifle in Execution-Style Killings of Five Neighbors, Colorado Governor Signs Bills to Curb Gun Violence, May Day Rallies and Protests Worldwide Mark International Workers Day, Jeffrey Sachs on Chinas Historic Push for Multipolar World to End U.S. AMY GOODMAN: And so, were you able to talk out of the presence of the guards? And so, then I started I had never read any articles. 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. I didnt want to watch it. JEREMY SCAHILL: Well, as we got a few of the facts of the case from the clip that we just played from Frontline, but I also want to say that the four men I just want to say their names: Scott Helvenston, of course, is Katys son; then there was Mike Teague; Jerko Zovko, who was known as Jerry; and then Wes Batalona, who was talked about there. placementName: "thenation_right_rail", Mr. Rumsfeld answered that Iraq has its own domestic laws, which he assumed applied to those private military contractors. A few nights before Scott was killed, and actually the night before he left Kuwait to go to Baghdad, he sent an email to the owner, president and upper management of Blackwater, and the subject of that email was extreme unprofessionalism. And in this email, which we have, he is complaining about Justin McQuown, who he refers to as Justin Shrek. Scott Helvenston apparently thought his actual name was Shrek and was referring to him as Justin Shrek throughout the email. 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.]. JEREMY SCAHILL: I think, just in closing, you know, this is such an incredible tragedy, and whats clear from this the allegations in this lawsuit is that it really appears like it was preventable. On January 5, 2005, the families filed the lawsuit against Blackwater in Wake County, North Carolina. According to the suit, McQuown lacked the credentials of Helvenston and other ex-SEALs. He swam like a fish. The families were gathered in a conference room, where they thought they would be told how the men had died. 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. However, Iraq is clearly not currently capable of enforcing its laws, much less against you know, over our American military contractors. Prince has never given a penny to a Democrat. tn_articleid: [72445], 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. Also with us, attorney Marc Miles, who joins us from studio in Irvine, California. Lay out this story. The fact that [McQuown]was being exposed infuriated him. Scotts mother believes, based on Scotts e-mails and conversations with contractors who served with her son, that McQuown feared that Scott might replace him at the company. 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. Bills a judge in Tampa, and I called Bill, and I said, Bill, I think I need to get an attorney. And he said, Yeah, you sure do.. One point that I want to make, though, that I think is important is Katy Helvenston talks about the way that Erik Prince and others from Blackwater have dealt with these families. And so, what happened that particular day from the evidence that Ive accumulated is that they were basically told to escort three flatbed trucks, which I understand were going to pick up some kitchen equipment, far different from what Scott Helvenston had understood, that he would be guarding an ambassador. And Im reading these articles, and all of a sudden . -Amy Goodman. I wrote an email to Gary Jackson, the president of Blackwater. And I had actually flown up there one weekend and spent the weekend with them. 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. JUAN GONZALEZ: When were you officially notified that it was him? Well, Blackwater then, when they cut their subcontract with this Kuwaiti company for this deal, kept intact the entire part of the contract that went over the security provisions, except for one word: armored. AMY GOODMAN: What did he think he was going to be doing? You know, I need to meet with these people.. MARC MILES: Well, what were going to prove at trial is that because Blackwater essentially cut corners and because of this personal animosity that Justin McQuown had with Scott Helvenston, they werent allowed to gather intelligence and do the pre-tip inspection and all of the things that they were told that they would be allowed to do and that is actually represented in the contracts for the mission that they were doing work under. But then things started to get strange. On the one hand, you have the allegations that Blackwater systematically defrauded these men by not providing them with the armored vehicles, the weapons, the adequate personnel for the mission, the opportunity to do a pre-trip risk assessment, etc., all the things that Marc Miles has laid out. 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. Jane how to behave like Navy Seals. To submit a correction for our consideration, click here. JEREMY SCAHILL: A couple things here. Katy Helvenston, your response? What we have right now is something worse than the wild, wild west going on in Iraq, Callahan says. Shortly after entering the city, they get stuck in traffic, and their small convoy is ambushed. KATY HELVENSTON: He has two beautiful children, and he was an incredible father. And so, did they assume the risk? Previously, Justin was a Research Engineer at L una Innovations and also held positions at AeroVironment, Stryten Manufacturing, GE Healthcare, TopRank Marketing, Emerson, General Electric. And so, Scotty got over to the Middle East, and he was in Kuwait City for about a week, and then he was sent up to Baghdad, and all of a sudden, this same guy, Justin McQuown is Scotts boss. Were also joined by Katy Helvenston, the mother of Scott Helvenston, who was killed that day, March 31, 2004 in Fallujah. . PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH: I was going to ask him. Lets take this opportunity. Now, just recently, last month, Cofer Black, who is a former C.I.A. Since its filing in January 2005, the case has moved slowly through the legal system. PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH: Yeah, I appreciate that very much. to your inbox each morning. Now, imagine that every person in that small town in America has guns and is running around with weapons. This is a billion-dollar industry, Jackson said in October 2004. Justin Shreck. 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. And Scotty finally went to casting, and he said, This guy is just not going to work, because he will not get in the water. So, Scotty did play a small role. As it turned out, Helvenston was slated to carry out a far less glamorous task. And I presume that thats the defense that Blackwater is going to make. 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. What happened that day, as far as you have been able to understand and as your lawsuit alleges? [includes rush transcript]. Okay, that may be an overbroad analogy there, but the same principle applies. KATY HELVENSTON: Yeah. Callahan says that if Blackwater and McQuown had done in the United States what they are alleged to have done in Iraq, There would be criminal charges against them. What happened between McQuown and Helvenston was no mere personality conflict. AMY GOODMAN: You were all staying in a hotel? They could have easily traveled this route in a single day, and it would have been extremely less dangerous. The suit alleges that there were six guards available that day, but McQuown intervened and ordered only the four to be sent. 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. KATY HELVENSTON: Well, Jay Price, who writes for the News & Observer out of the Raleigh-Durham area, had come down and talked to me, and he wrote a series of articles. During training, McQuown would often improperly instruct the class or provide erroneous information, tactics or techniques, the suit alleges. is funded by you, and thats why were counting on your donation to keep us going. 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. For Reprints and Permissions, click here. There should be three men per team. Its that the United States has opened Iraqs door to mercenaries who roam the country with impunity. Locations: Summerfield FL, Ocklawaha FL, . You did the piece, the investigation into this case. He says, you know, basically says, Im not the kind of guy who would normally complain about anything, but this has gotten so extreme that I want to raise this with you. And so, you have a convergence of Justin McQuowns alleged interventions that led to these guys being sent out the way they were, and Blackwater the allegations of Blackwater systematically defrauding these guys. And I think there were ten in all. He was told at that time that he was not going to be doing security for the ambassador, Paul Bremer, and he was going to escort a convoy of trucks to pick up kitchen equipment.