Blackwater Off the Hook Again in Plea Deal With Bush-Appointed Judge

[unhappycamper]

http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/02/22-3



America has the "best justice system in the world," says Blackwater exec

Blackwater Off the Hook Again in Plea Deal With Bush-Appointed Judge
- Jacob Chamberlain, staff writer
Published on Friday, February 22, 2013 by Common Dreams

A criminal case against executives of the defense contractor formerly known as Blackwater ended in a meager misdemeanor plea in court Thursday, amounting to little more than a slap on the wrist for the private military company, critics say.

The charges against the commandos involved weapons trafficking and a wide selection of other weapons violations amounting to fifteen counts of serious felonies.

Instead, as EmptyWheel reported Thursday, "the DOJ collaborated with the defense and walked into court without notice Thursday, filed a new information containing a single misdemeanor charge and proceeded to sentence them on the spot to a hand slap." The plea deal amounts to one count each of failure to keep records on firearms.

Judge Louise W. Flanagan of Federal District Court in North Carolina, a conservative Bush appointee, dismissed all charges against two of the officials, Andrew Howell, Blackwater’s former general counsel, and Ana Bundy, a former vice president, while prosecutors agreed to drop charges against a third, Ronald Slezak, a former weapons manager.

[Gman]

1. It's the same issue Elizabeth Warren highlighted

settling out of court rather than aggressively prosecuting in court where they are sure to win and get a stiff penalty.