In May 2018, the United States Supreme Court declined to hear an appeal that was filed by former workers at Blackwater Worldwide, which is a private security firm that worked in coordination with the federal government to provide security assistance to United States diplomats working in Iraq. This appeal is significant because it has the potential to greatly influence how courts in the United States handle criminal cases involving workers employed by the United States military.
How the Blackwater Case Arose
The defendants in question were convicted in 2014 with 14 charges of manslaughter and murder. These charges related to offense that occurred in 2007 while the team was providing coverage to a US official in a convoy near Nisour Square in Baghdad. During the offense, the men opened direct fire on an unarmed crowd, which resulted in 17 people being killed and at least 17 other people being injured.
The offense prompted significant controversy about the role of bodyguards that the United States government staffs in conflict zones as well as question about whether the men should be tried in the United States or Iraq.
The Procedural History in the Case
In 2014, the defendant was convicted of first degree murder and given a life sentence while the other three defendants were sentenced to 30 years in jail on charges of manslaughter and other offenses. An appeals court, however, ruled that the defendant should be retried, which will occur in June, 2018. The defense argues that the defendants were not being used in a military capacity at the time that the offense occurred and as a result cannot be charged under the Military Extraterritorial Jurisdiction Act.
What is the Military Extraterritorial Jurisdiction Act?
The Military Extraterritorial Jurisdiction Act is a body of laws designed to place military contractors under the jurisdiction of United States Law. The Act was first passed a bill in 2000 which allowed individuals who are either accompanying or employed by the armed forces to be prosecuted under the Act for any offense that would be punishable by imprisonment of over a year if the offense was committed within the special jurisdiction of the United States. It is important to understand that for the purposes of this act, “Employed by the armed forces” includes civilian workers of the Department of Defense as well as the Department’s contractors and employees. While currently, 12 individuals have been charged under the Act, the Act has been so far successfully used four times. This body of law is just one of the many complicated issues that can arise in a federal criminal appeal, which is why it is important that people charged with these offenses obtain the assistance of a highly experienced federal criminal appeal attorney.
Obtain the Services of an Experienced Federal Criminal Appeal Lawyer
There are many complicated issues that arise during federal criminal appeals. To obtain strong legal assistance with your appeal, do not hesitate to contact the Federal Criminal Defense Center today to schedule an initial free consultation.
