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Ex-Blackwater guard indicted on murder charge

By WTOP Staff

PETE YOST
Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — A former Blackwater Worldwide security guard accused of taking part in a 2007 shooting of Iraqi civilians at a Baghdad traffic circle has been indicted on a new first-degree murder charge as the case moves closer toward trial, prosecutors said Friday.

The federal grand jury indictment of Nicholas Slatten came just weeks after a judge dismissed all charges against him because of statute-of-limitation concerns.

Also Friday, the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Washington, D.C., asked that Slatten go on trial with the other three defendants in the shootings, a move the defense may seek to avoid. A joint trial is often viewed as an advantage for prosecutors.

In court papers, the prosecution said a joint trial is especially appropriate because the criminal conduct charged in the indictments was part of a single event. In addition, says the court filing, it would be grossly inefficient to try the case twice, inasmuch as the trial will involve 70 to 80 witnesses, many of whom live overseas.

The trial arising from the Sept. 16, 2007, shootings is scheduled to start in June in Washington’s federal court and to last several months. The contractors are accused of killing 14 Iraqis and wounding more than a dozen others, shootings that inflamed anti-American sentiment in Iraq and heightened diplomatic sensitivities.

Prosecutors have portrayed Slatten as a central figure in the shootings, arguing that he fired the first shots at Nisoor Square without justification at a driver who was stopped at the traffic circle. In a statement Friday, the U.S. Attorney’s office called that killing “intentional and unprovoked.”

Slatten’s lawyer, Thomas Connolly, declined to comment Friday.

Defense attorneys for the Blackwater guards say the men were ambushed by Iraqi insurgents and returned fire in an act of self-defense.

Separate trials are often favored by defendants because the separation can narrow the range of evidence that can be introduced by prosecutors, said University of Michigan law professor Samuel Gross, who specializes in criminal procedure. In addition, a defendant may want to blame another defendant for a crime and doing so in the context of a separate trial means that the other defendant is not present to respond, said Gross.

The first-degree murder charge raises a question for the other defendants, who are charged with manslaughter. They might object to going on trial with Slatten in a first-degree murder case that underscores for a jury the seriousness of the shootings. First-degree murder carries a mandatory term of life imprisonment on conviction.

Slatten faces arraignment on Monday. The grand jury indictment was handed up Thursday and was made public Friday.

U.S. District Judge Royce Lamberth dismissed the indictment against Slatten on April 23 after a federal appeals court said the statute of limitations had lapsed before the government filed the charges against Slatten last October. The statute of limitations restricts the time in which legal proceedings may be brought. There is no time limit on bringing a case of first-degree murder.

Bringing a murder case raises the bar on getting a conviction because the government would have to prove that the shootings were premeditated. Slatten had been charged with manslaughter, attempted manslaughter and using a firearm in a crime of violence.

Prosecutors have said they plan to introduce evidence against Slatten unrelated to the Nisoor Square shootings.

According to a court filing by prosecutors in March, Slatten said he wanted to kill as many Iraqis as he could as “payback for 9/11,” and he repeatedly boasted about the number of Iraqis he had shot, including an old Iraqi woman who had a knife in her hand. That incident occurred while Slatten was in the Army, the filing stated.

In various locations in Baghdad, the court filing said, Slatten deliberately fired his weapon to draw out return fire and instigate gun battles in a manner that was inconsistent with the use of force and escalation of force policies that governed Blackwater personnel in Iraq.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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