Blackwater Denied Appeal From 11th Circuit

By Angela Williams First Coast News

JACKSONVILLE, FL -- Straight from the U.S. Court of Appeals in black and white, the case against Blackwater is denied its appeal and could be headed to trial.

Jacksonville attorney Bob Spohrer represents the families going against Blackwater and says this ruling will help give them a fair shot.

?Their families and our firm are gratified that the court has said, no we are not going to give you that kind of immunity. This is going to be presented to a jury and a jury will decide whether the Blackwater pilots acted appropriately or not,? says Spohrer.

The 2004 plane accident claimed the lives of three U.S. soldiers in the mountains of Afghanistan.

Blackwater claims to fall under military code. The company asked for immunity and stated that the courts would interfere with military decision making. Both the government and now the 11th Circuit Court say otherwise. Spohrer says it was simple carelessness that caused loss of life.

?This case does not involve military decision making at all. It really involves the reckless misconduct of the pilots flying the plane into the mountain,? says Spohrer.

The next step is taking the matter to trial and giving the victims? families a chance to be heard.

?What they want is to have their day in court. It?s all about responsibility and we believe individuals should be responsible for their conduct and corporations should be responsible for their conduct,? says Spohrer.

Spohrer is suing on behalf of the families of Lieutenant Michael McMahan, Specialist Harley Miller and Chief Warrant officer Travis Grogan.

Grogran was previously stationed in Jacksonville at NAS-JAX several years ago.

The men were killed on November 24, 2004, when the Blackwater plane they were riding in crashed into a mountain in Afghanistan.

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