One Blackwater defendant has pled guilty. Indictments Unsealed.

[Shardik]

Source: CNN

There's a sixth defendant that has plead guilty of Manslaughter and attempted manslaughter in the Blackwater trials.

Indictments have been filed/unsealed on the other five.

It's a 35 count indictment.


No link yet.

---

One of the arguments is "They were just doing what they were told to do." All defendants are in their 20's.

[babylonsister]

1. Holy crap. Unheard of. nt

[TechBear_Seattle]

2. Guilty or no contest? There is a difference

The first is an admission of guilt on the charges and a claim of responsibility for having done wrong. The second is an acknowledgement that there is enough evidence to convict but NOT an admission of guilt or responsibility.

[High Plains]

3. Doesn't make much difference in the real world, does it?

You're still guilty in either case.

[TechBear_Seattle]

9. It makes a vast amount of difference

Yes, in both situations, the person goes to jail and there is no trial. However....

A plea of "Guilty" can be used as evidence in related trials (and very likely would be in this situation.) It also offers a degree of closure to victims and their families, as the person who committed the crimes acknowledges those crimes and accepts punishment.

A plea of "No Contest" would be pretty much useless to prosecutors in the other cases because there was no admission of guilt. There would be no closure, as the plea is basically one of, "Screw you. I will not be held accountable, either by myself or by the courts."

Legally and morally, the two pleas are at opposite ends of the spectrum.

[Shardik]

4. According to reports, it was GUILTY.

I'm sure he got a deal to do so, but it's a death knell for the others I would believe.

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

5. A grassy death knoll?

:shrug:

[Shardik]

7. LOL.... Corrected. N/T

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

8. :D

[TechBear_Seattle]

6. That is why I am asking

An admission of guilt will most definitely be used by prosecutors in the five related cases. A plea of "No Contest" would be useless.

Unfortunately, the media often makes no distinction between the two, even though they are fundamentally different.

[Ichingcarpenter]

14. This gives a lot of strength to the govt.'s case ... before

when I posted the first story on this, I didn't think they had much of a case
on how they were prosecuting it. Now, with the guilty plea, the state's witness
and other revelations made today maybe the Iraqis can get some justice.

Women and children were murdered by these bastards.

[TechBear_Seattle]

15. Why is it that women and children get all the sympathy?

These people killed non-combattant men as well, men who were just as murdered. But somehow, murdering adult men isn't very newsworthy or sympathy generating, is it?

[Ichingcarpenter]

19. Oh, I agree but it seems the media ignored that fact

when the story first came out and even tried to pass the story over
as just mistaken identity. I just wanted to emphasis this point
since it was ignored initially.

[Soylent Brice]

10. "They were just doing what they were told to do."

gestapo turd blossoms.

let the hammer begin to fall everywhere!!

[RaleighNCDUer]

13. That statement should open the organization to conspiracy charges.

Bring down the whole fascist network.

[ElsewheresDaughter]

11. here's a link

http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/Five-Blackwater-Employees-Indicted-Manslaughter/story.aspx?guid={9C8BB021-D32B-437E-A8C1-B0A9CEE3539C}

[Shardik]

12. Thanks, I've updated the OP with this link as it's the best one I've found so far. N/T

[Prisoner_Number_Six]

16. "They were just doing what they were told to do."

Even a REAL soldier has the right refuse to carry out an illegal order- these chumps are employees, NOT SOLDIERS. Nothing binds them to simply follow an order to murder civilians.

[cliss]

17. If they put these people on the stand,

they sure as hell better put Blackwater on the stand as well. No way in hell can they make these people responsible, without any responsibility at the EMPLOYER>
These people were out there on Blackwater's business. YEAH I'm sure there were regulations, a code of ethics and these people panicked it was I'm sure a hairtrigger response to some imagined threat in the town square in Baghdad.

But they'd better drag Michael Price's butt out there on the stand as well.

[Shardik]

18. I hope they do.

We really don't need a legal mercenary "corporation" here in the states.