Thread from attorney who represented families of Iraqis killed by Blackwater mercenaries.

[Nevilledog]

Link to tweet

Tweet text:
A Damn Lawyer
@adamnlawyer
Ali Kinani was 9 years old when he was shot in the head by Blackwater guards on September 16, 2007 in Baghdad Iraq. @realDonaldTrump just pardoned his killers. I represented Ali’s and five other families in a civil lawsuit against Blackwater and Erik Prince for the killings.
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Unrolled thread here (pics and video clip at link)
https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1341577554382249997.html

Ali Kinani was 9 years old when he was shot in the head by Blackwater guards on September 16, 2007 in Baghdad Iraq. @realDonaldTrump just pardoned his killers. I represented Ali’s and five other families in a civil lawsuit against Blackwater and Erik Prince for the killings.
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Ali was sitting in the back seat of his father’s SUV with two of his cousins. Blackwater riddled the car with bullets. Ali’s father was driving. When the shooting stopped they thought they had experienced a miracle that they were safe.

One of Ali’s cousins said that Ali had been shot. His father opened the door after seeing blood on the window - and Ali’s brain fell out onto the pavement between his father’s feet.

Nicholas Slatten
Dustin L. Heard
Evan S. Liberty
Paul A. Slough

The Blackwater guards convicted of killing Ali Kinani and over a dozen other innocent Iraqi civilians were pardoned today by Donald Trump.

None of the victims had weapons. They were all shot and killed or wounded in their cars.
Blackwater had disobeyed a directive to stay in the Green Zone. Instead, they entered Nisour Square, blocked traffic, and began firing into the cars of innocent civilians.

The FBI investigated the shooting. It was the FBI’s largest and most expensive criminal investigation since 9/11. The investigation was a joint effort by both the FBI and its counterpart in Iraq.

Dozen of witnesses were brought from Iraq to DC for the trial. The prosecution’s first witness was Ali’s father Mohammed Kinani. He testified for two days explaining the savage attack by the Blackwater men.

Nicholas Slattan was convicted of murder and sentenced to life. The others were convicted of manslaughter and weapons charges and sentenced to 20 years.

I deposed the Blackwater guard who confessed to being one of the shooters. Blackwater trained these men in Moyock, North Carolina. Blackwater paid these men - and Erik Prince made millions selling their services to the US government.

I was quoted in @WSJ the day of the convictions that my clients, who were still citizens of Iraq, were certainly pleased to know the men accused of killing their family members had been brought to justice. I am equally certain they feel the US government has let them down today.

@mentions’s excellent documentary about Blackwater’s Youngest Victim shows part of Ali’s father’s graphic description of the massacre.

Abraham Al Mafrage was a 70yo farmer and father of 7. He was shot in the head in a public bus by Blackwater shooters. He was also killed on 9/16/07. Trump pardoned the four men convicted of the Nisour Square killings. There is no question the victims were innocent civilians.
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Mahde Shamke was 25yo. He was shot in the back while driving a taxi. He supported his parents and siblings. He was killed by on 9/16/07. Mahde died in the hallway of the hospital asking for water with a large exit wound in his chest. Trump pardoned the Nisour Square killers.
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The US government provided Ali's family a small condolence payment. They donated ½ the payment to wounded US soldiers. Ali’s mother delivered the donation to the US embassy. General Ray Odierno sent this thank you letter to Ali’s family. Donald Trump just slapped her in the face.
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• • •

[JI7]

1. And there are people who still want to pretend it's about economics not bigotry for Trump supporters

THis is WHY they supported him.

[tblue37]

2. K&R for visibility. nt

[underpants]

3. Horrible

Just horrible

[musette_sf]

4. K & R

[BigmanPigman]

5. I can't write what I think or the DU jury

will kick me off of this site.

[mr_lebowski]

9. I doubt that ... just don't say you're going to harm someone and you should be fine ...

We got your back

[Bayard]

6. Putting names and faces with the victims

The U.S. government didn't just let them down--it stomped on their loved ones memory, courtesy of trumptilian. He is a horror, an evil travesty of a human being.

[mr_lebowski]

7. You guys catch this part at the end?

The US government provided Ali's family a small condolence payment. They donated ½ the payment to wounded US soldiers. Ali’s mother delivered the donation to the US embassy. General Ray Odierno sent this thank you letter to Ali’s family. Donald Trump just slapped her in the face.

Just when you think Trump couldn't possibly prove himself more vile and degenerate ...

[smirkymonkey]

8. I feel sick to my stomach.

This is a new low, even for Trump. All of this men are pure evil. I hope they all pay dearly one day for what they have done, especially Trump. He is nothing but scum.

[mr_lebowski]

10. The sheer evil on display is truly breathtaking to be behold ...

You know he did this cause of Erik Prince, right?

No question about it.

[smirkymonkey]

12. Of course, Betsy's charming brother.

There is no end of corruption and evil within this crowd. I can't even say what I would wish for their fate to be.

You would think that when you had all the money in the world that you could just be happy and enjoy it and maybe make others happy with it as well. But no, not these people. They use their money to cause pain, suffering and spread thier own brand of sickness throughout the world. They don't care who suffers or dies. And it's never enough for them. They can never get enough money and they can never get their fill of sadism. I honestly hope there is a hell for people like this.

[mr_lebowski]

15. According to Jesus, there certainly should be a hell for them ...

Or at the least they ain't getting into heaven.

[Lock him up.]

21. And to think the evangelicals would bow before them...

Chaos everywhere.

[DENVERPOPS]

13. Or because

of Prince's sister????? Isn't she the Secretary of Education in Trump's cabinet.....???????

[mr_lebowski]

14. Well, yes ... but Prince is the one who'd be more interested in this sort of thing ...

And Prince has done PLENTY for Trump.

And it's more to his benefit than Sister Cruella DeVos'.

[mopinko]

27. prince went to the seychelles to set up a back channel to russia.

i always thought betsy's post was a payoff to keep him quiet.

[mr_lebowski]

28. I had not forgotten ;) nt

[moondust]

11. Glenn Kirschner's office prosecuted them.

Glenn is not happy.

[Captain Zero]

16. All these pardons ARE CASES the FBI investigated

Trump still has a hard-on for the FBI.

AT FIRST I thought the Iraqi civilian deaths at the hand Blackwater Mercenaries did not involve the FBI, BUT the article says the FBI INVesTIGATED IT along with their Iraqi counterpart.

Trump is taking down FBI CONVICTIONS with his pardons.

[OneBlueSky]

17. this makes me about as sick and angry as anything Trump has done in the past four years . . .

the man has no soul . . . after he leaves office (if he ever does), he MUST be punished for crimes against humanity! . . . though he can't be punished for a pardon -- no matter how egregious -- a conviction for punishable crimes will at least return some semblance of justice to the families of these victims . . .

I've always believed that it's wrong to hate another person . . . I think I may have to make an exception in the case of Donald J. Trump . . .

[MustLoveBeagles]

32. This is sickening even for trump

I've always believed that it's wrong to hate another person . . . I think I may have to make an exception in the case of Donald J. Trump . . .

Don't beat yourself up over it. Him and people like that make it very difficult to not feel hate.

[Solly Mack]

18. K&R

[Blue Owl]

19. Sick fuck pardons sick fucks

[quakerboy]

20. so.. accept a pardon

isnt there an admission of guilt?

Which could then be used in a civil court?

[LeftInTX]

22. Trump pardons baby killers

[dalton99a]

23. Kick

[octoberlib]

24. I remember reading that Prince hired guys who used to be members of the

Honduran Death Squads. They had a training camp in the Great Dismal Swamp in NC . Still do, in fact; the company just goes under a different name.

[MarcA]

25. Biden Administration needs to go after these mercenary organizations

As for the pardons, not sure everyone will recognize or approve of them.

[mr_lebowski]

29. I HEREBY REJECT AND DECLARE THESE PARDONS NULL AND VOID!!!

Yup, see, you were right!

[bucolic_frolic]

26. He could still wreak more chaos

pardoning all life sentences for example.

[SMC22307]

30. This is soul-destroying... Trump and his admin are pure fucking evil.

That poor child... as well as the other victims.

[LudwigPastorius]

31. Trump trying to curry favor with the military?

All four of those pardoned were military before going to work for Blackwater.

I think Trump did this because he believes it will bolster support for a coup attempt.

(When, in actuality, most of those in the military are probably disgusted by the actions of these four men, and believe they should serve out their sentences.)