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Charges against Blackwater guards dismissed

A federal judge has dismissed all charges against five Blackwater Worldwide security guards for their role in a fatal shooting in Baghdad in September 2007.

Mark Hulkower (speaking) and fellow defense attorneys speak to members of the media outside of the U.S. District Court in Salt Lake City, Utah, on Dec. 8, 2008, after the five Blackwater guards were charged with killing 14 unarmed civilians and wounding 20 others in a 2007 shooting in Nisoor Square, Baghdad.

Mark Hulkower (speaking) and fellow defense attorneys speak to members of the media outside of the U.S. District Court in Salt Lake City, Utah, on Dec. 8, 2008, after the five Blackwater guards were charged with killing 14 unarmed civilians and wounding 20 others in a 2007 shooting in Nisoor Square, Baghdad.

Chris Detrick-REUTERS

Adil Jabr, 55, center, arrives for a meeting with U.S. prosecutors to discuss the case against the five Blackwater Worldwide guards indicted in the fatal shooting. A sixth guard reached a plea deal with prosecutors to avoid a mandatory 30-year prison sentence and was expected to testify against the others before the charges were dropped.

Adil Jabr, 55, center, arrives for a meeting with U.S. prosecutors to discuss the case against the five Blackwater Worldwide guards indicted in the fatal shooting. A sixth guard reached a plea deal with prosecutors to avoid a mandatory 30-year prison sentence and was expected to testify against the others before the charges were dropped.

Khalid Mohammed-AP

Blackwater (now officially titled Xe) chief executive Erik Prince testifies before a congressional panel a month after the fatal shootings. U.S. District Judge Ricardo M. Urbina ruled Dec. 31 that the government violated the guards' rights by using their immunized statements to help the investigation.

Oct. 2, 2007

Blackwater (now officially titled Xe) chief executive Erik Prince testifies before a congressional panel a month after the fatal shootings. U.S. District Judge Ricardo M. Urbina ruled Dec. 31 that the government violated the guards' rights by using their immunized statements to help the investigation.

Linda Davidson-The Washington Post

Prince consults with his attorney Stephen Ryan, right, during the 2007 hearing. Urbina's ruling comes after a lengthy set of hearings that examined whether federal prosecutors and agents improperly used such statements that the guards gave to State Department investigators following the shooting.

Oct. 2, 2007

Prince consults with his attorney Stephen Ryan, right, during the 2007 hearing. Urbina's ruling comes after a lengthy set of hearings that examined whether federal prosecutors and agents improperly used such statements that the guards gave to State Department investigators following the shooting.

Linda Davidson-The Washington Post

This image of documentation provided by the law firm Harris, Wiltshire & Grannis was turned over as evidence to federal prosecutors investigating the Sept. 16, 2007, shooting, and shows apparent bullet damage to Blackwater vehicles. Defense lawyers said the photos prove Blackwater was fired upon that day, though the photos are not time-stamped and the trucks were repaired before the FBI began investigating.

This image of documentation provided by the law firm Harris, Wiltshire & Grannis was turned over as evidence to federal prosecutors investigating the Sept. 16, 2007, shooting, and shows apparent bullet damage to Blackwater vehicles. Defense lawyers said the photos prove Blackwater was fired upon that day, though the photos are not time-stamped and the trucks were repaired before the FBI began investigating.

Courtesy of Harris, Wiltshire & Grannis LLP-AP

Iraqis survey the damage in Nisoor Square after the shootings. The five guards -- Paul Slough, Nicholas Slatten, Evan Liberty, Dustin Heard and Donald Ball -- were charged with voluntary manslaughter and weapons violations.

Iraqis survey the damage in Nisoor Square after the shootings. The five guards -- Paul Slough, Nicholas Slatten, Evan Liberty, Dustin Heard and Donald Ball -- were charged with voluntary manslaughter and weapons violations.

Sudarsan Raghavan-The Washington Post

Ali Khalaf, a traffic police officer and eyewitness, inspects a burned white sedan destroyed in Nisoor Square.

Ali Khalaf, a traffic police officer and eyewitness, inspects a burned white sedan destroyed in Nisoor Square.

Sudarsan Raghavan-The Washington Post

Osama Fadhil Abbass's damaged Volkswagen Caddy box truck sits Nisoor Square following the shootings. The Justice Department alleges that the guards unleashed an unprovoked attack on Iraqi civilians in Nisoor Square while in a convoy.

Osama Fadhil Abbass's damaged Volkswagen Caddy box truck sits Nisoor Square following the shootings. The Justice Department alleges that the guards unleashed an unprovoked attack on Iraqi civilians in Nisoor Square while in a convoy.

Sudarsan Raghavan-The Washington Post

Firoz Fadhil Abbas holds a picture of his brother Osama's Volkswagen Caddy that was shot up in the Blackwater incident.

Firoz Fadhil Abbas holds a picture of his brother Osama's Volkswagen Caddy that was shot up in the Blackwater incident.

Sudarsan Raghavan-The Washington Post

Ali Sahid holds a funeral portrait of his brother Mahdi, a victim of the shootings.

Ali Sahid holds a funeral portrait of his brother Mahdi, a victim of the shootings.

Sudarsan Raghavan-The Washington Post

A funeral banner for Osama Fadhil Abbas hangs on a fence in Baghdad's Khadisiya neighborhood not long after the shootings. The Iraqi government attempted to ban Blackwater from the country, but the United States intervened and renewed contracts with Blackwater (Xe) as late as September 2009.

A funeral banner for Osama Fadhil Abbas hangs on a fence in Baghdad's Khadisiya neighborhood not long after the shootings. The Iraqi government attempted to ban Blackwater from the country, but the United States intervened and renewed contracts with Blackwater (Xe) as late as September 2009.

Sudarsan Raghavan-The Washington Post

Gallery Credits:
Photo Editor Dee Swann & Sam Funt Text Editor John Amick

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