justin shrek'' mcquown

By the time I got the message hed already been killed., Shortly after Helvenston left that message, the men left the base and set out for their destination. 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. Helvenston began training at Blackwater USA's facilities in March 2004, and developed a personal conflict with head trainer Justin "Shrek" McQuown. 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. Scott Helvenston and his team were to deploy to Iraq on March 29. Please do your part today. V. Blackwater Security - Facts & Allegations. You know, at least I know he wasnt burned alive. The real problem here is that we have corporate America involved. All this was shady enoughbut the real danger for Helvenston and the others lay in Blackwaters decision to cut corners to make even more money. Im gonna take care of you. You know, just stuff like that, which obviously wasnt true. The other guys were Army Rangers, and they were all very, very experienced combat soldiers. So they were easy to pick out. KATY HELVENSTON: Yeah. The suit alleges that Blackwater trainer Justin "Shrek" McQuown resented Helvenston and deliberately reassigned Helvenston to the team that was ambushed. AMY GOODMAN: That was President Bush at Johns Hopkins, answering no, not a reporters question a students question. KATY HELVENSTON: They said Fallujah, and I said, well, Scotty, hes in Baghdad. Justin Timberlake voices King Arthur, Fiona's distant cousin and next in line for the throne of Far Far Away after Shrek (who understandably just wants to return to his swamp). They were escorting three empty trucks on their way to pick up some kitchen equipment at a base west of Fallujah. What Blackwater is trying to do is to sweep all of their wrongful conduct into the Defense Base Act, says Miles. They had done everything in their power to keep us apart. This is a precedent-setting case, says Marc Miles, an attorney for the families. Lets see if we can screw with Scott. units for the United States, which doesnt do a lot of good over there. COL. JOHN A. TOOLAN: Unfortunately, it was going out on CNN. trucks from a city of Taji to an army base, which is on the west side of Fallujah. A new firefighter goes through the academy, is shown all these big hook-and-ladder trucks and pumpers and engines, all this equipment, and then is told to run into a burning building where a family is inside, but is given nothing other than a squirt gun. It was about what happened to Scotty and Jerry and Mike and Wesley. They knew what they were getting into based upon the representations by Blackwater. Katy Helvenstons son Scott Helvenston is one of the four men who died, the security contractors working for Blackwater on March 31, 2004 in Fallujah. For Reprints and Permissions, click here. They said it was the direct line. 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. KATY HELVENSTON: I called Blackwater at about 7:00 at night. 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. This is what delegation - I dont mean to be dodging the question, although its kind of convenient in this case, but never- I really will. 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. 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 . Now, thats not unusual for, you know, a lifelong Republican to give that kind of money. AMY GOODMAN: Were you all in the same hotel? 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. I would support them in any way I could, but they had to figure out how to get through college. The fact that these four Americans found themselves located in the high-risk, war-torn City of Fallujah without armored vehicles, automatic weapons, and fewer than the minimum number of team members was no accident, the suit alleges. 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. Lets take this opportunity. Now, just recently, last month, Cofer Black, who is a former C.I.A. But because they didnt have a map, they didnt have G.P.S., and, in fact, funny story, I think they had G.P.S. The four men were, in fact, working under contracts guaranteeing that they would travel with a six-person team. While the Iraq war has helped the company Blackwater USA see its profits soar, the company is facing a major battle here at homethis time in court. The suit also alleges that McQuown intentionally refused to allow the Blackwater security contractors to conduct ride-alongs with the teams they were replacing from Control Risk Group. But, anyway, thats another story. 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. tn_ptype: 'article', And we knew that this was a key component of the insurgent strategy: Get the pictures out, make it look like theyre winning. And I had actually flown up there one weekend and spent the weekend with them. It goes through multiple hands, at least three or four layers per contract. According to the suit, McQuown lacked the credentials of Helvenston and other ex-SEALs. And Scott says, Youre nuts, you know, he says, Im not goin in there to Falluja. KATY HELVENSTON: Erik Prince told them that they would have to sue Blackwater to get that information. Would he speak to them? Your article, Blood Is Thicker Than Blackwater, appears in The Nation magazine today, and we will link to it at democracynow.org. STUDENT: My question is in regards to private military contractors. } MARC MILES: Well, its important and its groundbreaking and its precedent-setting, because were working in such a unique situation here, where we have private American companies working within a war zone. To submit a correction for our consideration, click here. There he was. He had two men with him that held Scotty down. And there are other people that have talked to Katy and Marc that have affirmed all of this. MARTIN SMITH: Around 9:30 a.m., they approached the center of town. KATY HELVENSTON: Well, apparently he had the audacity to suggest that maybe there was a better way of running these certain missions, in that the people who were subcontracting out with Blackwater would actually survive the mission. 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 if you stop and you think about it, thats the size of some small towns here in America. They told them that they would be operating in teams of no less than six, where you would have three individuals in each vehicle a driver, a navigator and a rear gunner who has a 180-degree view of the rear to protect from behind. Helvenston began training at Blackwater USA's facilities in March 2004, and developed a personal conflict with head trainer Justin "Shrek" McQuown. His family is linked in with Richard DeVos, the Amway founder who basically funded the Republican revolution of the 1990s. So on March 24 the company removed Potter as program manager, replacing him with McQuown, who, according to the families lawyers, was far more willing than Potter to overlook security considerations in the interest of profits. Helvenston arrived in Kuwait on March 18, where he was under the management of John and Kathy Potter, whom he knew from Combat Missions. KATY HELVENSTON: I was given a number. For more on this ground-breaking lawsuit, we are joined by the three guests: JUAN GONZALEZ: This is an excerpt from _Frontline_s program Private Warriors, a documentary on the role of private military contractors working in Iraq. At $21 million, it represented the companys biggest contract in Iraq. But then, theres something else that all too often gets left out of the mix here, and that is that tens of thousands of Iraqis have died in this war, and they dont have a voice in the legal system here. And at that point, Scotty was desperate for money, and he went in there. By signing up to receive emails, you agree to receive occasional promotional offers for programs that support The Nation's journalism. He wouldnt accept anything but the very best, and he became a Navy Seal, and he considered that the best. And this Justin McQuown was the instructor there at Moyock, and he was outraged that Scott had the audacity to even suggest that there was a better way. They didnt find out that they were lied to until they got into Baghdad and basically had no option but to go forward. But their personal contracts also warned of death and/or injury caused by everything from civil uprising and terrorist activity to poisoning and flying debris. In filing its motion to dismiss the lawsuit, Blackwater quoted from its standard contract, insisting that those who sign it fully appreciate the dangers and voluntarily assume these risks as well as any other risks in any way (whether directly or indirectly) connected to the Engagement.. 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. And when we come back from break, Katy, I want to ask you if Scott felt ready to go out on that day, March 31, 2004. This is what delegationI dont mean to be dodging the question, although its kind of convenient in this case, but never[laughter] I really willIm going to call the Secretary and say you brought up a very valid question, and what are we doing about it? But instead, they missed that turnoff, and they ended up driving straight through the center of Fallujah, and it was as they got through the middle of town that they got stuck in traffic, that they were ultimately ambushed. The Lafayette McQuown House is significant as a typical example of a late 19th-century miner's residence in good condition. 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. The U.S. attack was sparked by the gruesome killing of four private contractors inside Fallujah. The killing was March 31. In an expose in the new issue of the Nation magazine, independent journalist Jeremy Scahill tells the story of the struggle of the four families of the slain Blackwater contractors to hold those responsible for their deaths accountable. According to the suit, Blackwater was gung-ho to start in order to impress ESS and win further contracts. They were told that they were able to do a risk assessment of every trip, and if the threat was too dangerous, that they could decline the mission. Historical Amnesia About Slavery Is a Tool of White Supremacy. cid exam previous question papers. Heres Why. 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 said, Im gonna go over there, make some money, maybe make a difference. The suit alleges that there were six guards available that day, but McQuown intervened and ordered only the four to be sent. All four guards were shot and killed. Jane and did a few stints on reality television. tn_author: ['jeremy-s'], Famous Personal Trainer Scott Helvenston was born on June 21, 1965 in Ocala. So I sent Blackwater about 23 specific questions, and from that first email that Chris Taylor sent me, I never heard back. The other two were kept behind at Blackwaters Baghdad facility to perform clerical duties. The lawyers for the families charge that Blackwater has continued its practice of stonewalling. 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. At 17 he made history by becoming the youngest person ever to complete the rigorous Navy SEAL program. Blackwater is able to operate over there in Iraq free from any oversight that would typically exist in a civilized society. [includes rush transcript]. Helvenston began training at Blackwater USA's facilities in March 2004, and developed a personal conflict with head trainer Justin "Shrek" McQuown. They have no respect for me or the other mothers or brothers or children. On April 17, President Bush spoke at the School of Advanced International Studies at Johns Hopkins University. tn_loc:'atf' Corporations are fictional entitiesthey only act through their personnel, explains Miles. The suit alleges that Blackwater trainer Justin "Shrek" McQuown resented Helvenston and deliberately reassigned Helvenston to the team that was ambushed . Over a thousand people died because of what happened to Scotty that day, says Katy Helvenston. Its thats how I work. Helvenston began training at Blackwater USA's facilities in March 2004, and developed a personal conflict with head trainer Justin "Shrek" McQuown. Justin McQuown's nickname, according to documents we've gotten and to other people who were in Kuwait and Iraq at the time, was "Shrek," after the green ogre character, and it doesn't . He said, you know, I have to have my gun. And they took that away from him. Were talking about a groundbreaking lawsuit that has been filed against Blackwater. Once the cover boy on a Navy calendar, he also had several workout videos. 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. These men were told that theyd be operating in armored vehicles. 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? Its lead counsel is Greenberg Traurig, the influential DC law firm that once employed lobbyist Jack Abramoff. After the training session, Helvenston got on a plane to Kuwait, where he touched down on March 18. And I called them, and I said, Thats just not acceptable. 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. It was the event that sparked the U.S. siege of Fallujah, in which hundreds and hundreds of Iraqis were killed, many of them who had nothing to do with this whatsoever women, children, others. AMY GOODMAN: At the memorial service for your son? They deleted the word armored. And Marc Miles says that in doing that, Blackwater was able to save $1.5 million. For most people, the gruesome killings were the first they had ever heard of Blackwater USA, a small, North Carolina-based private security company. 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. 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. But one thing to stress here, and this is what the lawsuit alleges, its not just wrongful death, its also fraud. PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH: I was going to ask him. These men and women are never included in the death tolls provided by the Pentagon or reported on in the media. We rely on contributions from our viewers and listeners to do our work. And they did approach the Zovkos and asked if they would meet Erik Prince in his office, and they did. And Blackwater has only scratched the surface of it.. According to the suit, McQuown lacked the credentials of Helvenston and other ex-SEALs. 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. And so, this lawsuit represents the first whack at the giants legs, and if its successful, it will reverberate around the war profiteer community. MARC MILES: Thats correct. 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 original content of this program is licensed under a. Blackwater and Regency had essentially wrestled the ESS contract from another security firm, Control Risk Group, and were eager to win more lucrative contracts from ESS in its other division servicing construction projects in Iraq. The families of four private security contractors killed in Fallujah in March 2004 have filed a ground-breaking lawsuit charging Blackwater USA with fraud and wrongful death. KATY HELVENSTON: Well, Donna Zovko and her husband Joe was there, and her son Tommy and his wife and kids were all there. Shortly after George W. Bush was re-elected in November 2004, Gary Jackson sent out a mass celebratory e-mail declaring, Bush Wins, Four More Years!! Stephen "Scott" Helvenston (June 21, 1965 - March 31, 2004) was a United States Navy SEAL.He was working as a security contractor for Blackwater Security when he was killed in the 31 March 2004 Fallujah ambush within days of arriving in Iraq.. Helvenston was a personal trainer for Hollywood celebrities such as Demi Moore (for G.I. KATY HELVENSTON: Well, I had been in contact with the Zovkos, primarily out of Cleveland, prior to that. And Bush jokes about it. 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. People should understand, Scotty Helvenston wasnt even in Iraq for more than 48 hours before he was sent to Fallujah. The man heading the training was Justin McQuown, nicknamed Shrek, after the green ogre movie cartoon character. So what this lawsuit is about, its about creating accountability for those firms, those private military firms that are working in Iraq, and its also not only about holding Blackwater accountable for these four deaths, but its also about sending a message to the other private security firms out there that they cannot cut costs to increase their bottom line and put lives at risk. I was thinking of construction when they said contractor. And a couple hours later, they said security contractors, and I said, My god, Scotty is a security contractor, but hes not in Fallujah. But today, Blackwater is facing a potentially devastating battlethis time not in Iraq but in court. On January 5, 2005, the families filed the lawsuit against Blackwater in Wake County, North Carolina. And I presume that thats the defense that Blackwater is going to make. It was good money, but it was never enough, his mother remembers. 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.. Username. covers war or gun violence, were not brought to you by the weapons manufacturers. In a moment she will join us along with her attorney Marc Miles who is representing the families, Marc Miles. 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.. And Donna, she misunderstood where this money was coming from. I called every hour and talked to them for like 15, 20 minutes, and Scotty had been so good about calling me and emailing me, and I kept thinking, you know, he would have called me and let me know he was okay, because he knew how worried I was. He believed in what he was doing. He also had a financial motivation. He spent twelve years in the SEALs, four of them as an instructor, and then tried his luck with Hollywood. This is a billion-dollar industry, Jackson said in October 2004. KATY HELVENSTON: He has two beautiful children, and he was an incredible father. After the killings, Katy Helvenston joined the families of Mike Teague, Jerko Zovko and Wesley Batalona in grieving and in seeking details about the incident. What theyre trying to do is to say, Lookwe can do anything we want and not be held accountable. Promised Iraqis Justice. tn_pos: 'rectangle_1', Blackwater is scooping up lucrative Homeland Security contracts. Ill be home soon. He said, Im going to spoil you. And, you know, he was already dead by the time I got that. He was divorced but continued to support his ex-wife and two children. But I hold Blackwater responsible one thousand percent., In late 2004 the case caught the attention of the high-powered California trial lawyer Daniel Callahan, fresh from a record-setting $934 million jury decision in a corporate fraud case. AMY GOODMAN: Months later. They do not deny that the men were aware of the risks they were taking, but they charge that Blackwater knowingly refused to provide guaranteed safeguards, among them: They would have armored vehicles; there would be three men in each vehiclea driver, a navigator and a rear gunner; and the rear gunner would be armed with a heavy automatic weapon, such as a SAW Mach 46, which can fire up to 850 rounds per minute, allowing the gunner to fight off any attacks from the rear. In fact, Blackwaters then-general counsel, Steve Capace, gave a workshop last May on the subject to an International Super-Conference for contractors. But while the families were grieving, Blackwater viewed it as a profit opportunity. JUAN GONZALEZ: And this is a series of articles about this incident? tn_articleid: [72445], Jane movie, and he ended up playing a small role on the film, because the guy that was supposed to play the Navy Seal instructor was terrified of the ocean. 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. Scott Helvenston, Katys son, was the youngest Navy Seal ever. They were vulnerable and obvious. JEREMY SCAHILL: A couple things here. Well, that left Scott no choice. AMY GOODMAN: Did they say it was Fallujah? And it all stems back to the point: if these folks had known that Blackwater was going to cut costs and was going to not provide them with everything that they were promised, would they have still done it? My family wouldnt let me read any of the articles, they were so graphic. Name. JUAN GONZALEZ: Marc Miles, I would like to ask you, obviously there have been about 425, now, Americans who have been working for contractors who have been killed in Iraq. Kathy Potter told the News and Observer that Regency would quote ESS a price, say $1,500 per man per day, and then tell Blackwater that it had quoted ESS $1,200. ESS then contracted with Halliburton subsidiary KBR, which in turn billed the government an unknown amount of money for the same security services, according to the paper. KATY HELVENSTON: It was probably 24, maybe 30-some hours before he was murdered. They didnt have a rear gunner. Hooyah! dr mark weiss psychologist; evaluate crossword clue 4 letters; pitt county jail bookings twitter. AMY GOODMAN: And so, were you able to talk out of the presence of the guards? He had a job waiting for him, but he needed to make some money in those two months. What we have right now is something worse than the wild, wild west going on in Iraq, Callahan says. andersen tw3046 window size, wlav radio personalities, drop off points for ukraine belfast,

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