Retrial begins in Norfolk for former Blackwater contractors

Posted to: Academi - Blackwater Afghanistan Military Norfolk
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By Tim McGlone
The Virginian-Pilot
© March 2, 2011

NORFOLK

Witnesses will begin testifying this morning in the retrial of two former Blackwater firearms instructors charged with killing two Afghan civilians in Kabul two years ago.

Christopher Drotleff of Virginia Beach and Justin Cannon of Texas are charged with second-degree murder, assault and weapons offenses in the May 5, 2009, shooting deaths. A third Afghan civilian was wounded as well. Prosecutors and defense attorneys spent Tuesday in U.S. District Court choosing a jury and giving opening statements. The case is expected to unfold much like the first trial last fall. That trial ended in a hung jury.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Alan M. Salsbury told the jury that the contractors were agitated after a day of drinking and broke company policies by taking a vehicle off base at night while armed and driving recklessly down a Kabul road.

Defense attorneys agreed that the men were agitated, but that was because they were driving in a war zone and were staring down a car driving right at them at a dark intersection.

Drotleff and Cannon were part of a two-vehicle convoy driving Afghan interpreters home when the lead vehicle, carrying five people, crashed, rolled several times and struck a billboard.

Drotleff and Cannon, both armed, were assisting the injured when a car came at them, driving the wrong way along a shoulder.

What happened next remains disputed. Drotleff and Cannon said they fired at the vehicle in self defense because the driver did not obey orders. They thought the Afghan car could have been a suicide bomber. Prosecutors allege the two men fabricated their story.

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No body must judge

Submitted by jury79 on Fri, 03/04/2011 at 5:32 am.

No body must judge till feel what those men feel at war zone
thank you becky for your strong comments

Thank You....becky540! I'm

Submitted by Mercenary on Thu, 03/03/2011 at 8:06 am.

Thank You....becky540! I'm over here in AStan......it's scary as hell...and I believe these two brave men! Easy for FriedaPeebles to sit & judge when she's never been brave enough to walk in their boots!
FREE CHRIS DROTLEFF!!!!!

Trial of Chris Drotleff and Justin Cannon.

Submitted by Becky540 on Wed, 03/02/2011 at 7:08 pm.

I am reading these ugly comments and the ones making them do not have a clue. I do know something about this case, and these men are not guilty! I do not know how they can go in and say these men were drunk when there is no proof, no blood test, no breath test, no field sobriety test. The truth is that not all the facts were allow to be presented in this case, because had they been allowed,the government would have had to drop the charges. That is the real tragedy of this trial! These are people trying to make a name for themselves by convicting innocent men!!!

pray

Submitted by jury79 on Wed, 03/02/2011 at 2:56 pm.

They need the pray they need to ask god to save them
Just thinking what could happen to me to his family if he get 25 yrs ,OMG 25 YRS after shoot in war zone

I'm glad they are getting

Submitted by Freida Peeples on Wed, 03/02/2011 at 10:52 am.

I'm glad they are getting retried. These mercenary thugs get away with murder regularly and people come to associate them with our country.

Really........!

Submitted by OVMOMA on Wed, 03/02/2011 at 10:59 pm.

I reckin I need to pray for you too. Spewing things you have no idea about; Shame on you. Just because you think 1 apple is bad that the whole cart is? Shame.... It is very clear you do not SEE the whole picture.

give them a medal

Submitted by dogpen on Wed, 03/02/2011 at 10:30 am.

As far as i'm concerned. They were doing their job, an exceedingly difficult job @ that. You've shown your true colors w/the lowering of the charges just to try to get a conviction. Gov't lawyers please let it go, you lost. Please quit wasting our tax dollars on this witchhunt. You are not going to impress the international community even if you do by chance get a manslaughter conviction.

I know for a fact that

Submitted by OVMOMA on Wed, 03/02/2011 at 9:35 am.

Many folks are praying for these two men, their families & even the Afghan citizens involved. The Lord does test us.... sometimes, in the worst way but w/the truth on your side, justice will preveil.

"Lord, please wrap your loving arms around these families, including the Afghans: Lift their burdens & set them free from this "land of Oz" situation. Forgive the people in "higher" seats that are looking for brownie points w/this case and the reporters that twist the words for some sorts of negative reactions instead of seeking the truths, Amen".

untested facts

Submitted by OnceALocal on Wed, 03/02/2011 at 10:58 am.

I'm praying for justice, and will trust the courts and the people.

Just curious, if your god is better than their god, then why do you have fewer followers worldwide?

Funny how people think

Submitted by OVMOMA on Wed, 03/02/2011 at 11:17 pm.

1. I never said, my God is better then...theirs? In fact, I am praying for everyone in this horribile case. I am redistributing my faith; which is "priceless" at that.
2. Back in the day of the early indoctirnations w/our schools, I use to think the same way you think now. What a waste of the mind for a very sad agenda. VERY clear you do not see the BIG picture here.
3. These men in this case deserve a metal, not all this beaurocratic crap....period.
And 4. One day, you will be praying on your knees when you see the light; whatever God you may find fit for your needs.