John Carr looked to me like he was TOTALLY guilty!

[burythehatchet]

and while that is important, here's a story you may have missed....

http://www.projo.com/news/content/projo_20060819_battles19.32a5220.html

Judge overturns verdict against Custer Battles

The Rhode Island military contractor had been the first U.S. company convicted of civil-fraud in connection with the war in Iraq.

01:00 AM EDT on Saturday, August 19, 2006

BY MATTHEW BARAKAT
Associated Press

ALEXANDRIA, Va. -- A federal judge has overturned a $10-million jury verdict against a Rhode Island military contractor accused of defrauding the U.S. government in the initial months of the Iraq war. The verdict, awarded in March against Fairfax-based Custer Battles LLC, had been the first civil-fraud verdict arising from the Iraq war. Custer Battles based most of its operations in Rhode Island.

A former Custer Battles employee filed the lawsuit under a whistleblower statute, alleging that Custer Battles used shell companies and false invoices to vastly overstate its expenses on a $3-million contract to assist in establishing a new currency to replace the old Iraqi dinar used during Saddam Hussein's regime.

The verdict reached $10 million because the law calls for triple damages, plus penalties, fines and legal costs. But U.S. District Judge T.S. Ellis III, in a ruling made public yesteday ruled that Custer Battles' accusers failed to prove that the U.S. government was ever defrauded. Any fraud that occurred was perpetrated instead against the Coalition Provisional Authority, formed shortly after the war to run Iraq during the occupation until an Iraqi government was established.



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Oh yes, the ruling judge in this case also issued this ruling:

On Thursday, May 18, 2006 Ellis dismissed a lawsuit filed by Khalid El-Masri, a German citizen, against the CIA and three private companies allegedly involved with his kidnapping, transport, and torture in Kabul. Ellis explained his belief that a public trial would "present a grave risk of injury to national security"<2>, though acknowledging that:

if El-Masri's allegations are true or essentially true, then all fair-minded people, including those who believe that state secrets must be protected, that this lawsuit cannot proceed, and that renditions are a necessary step to take in this war, must also agree that El-Masri has suffered injuries as a result of our country's mistake and deserves a remedy.<3>
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/T.S._Ellis,_III
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[bullimiami]

1. right. the cpa is not the american government.

so defrauding them doesnt fall under our jurisdiction.

classic.

[burythehatchet]

3. Makes the Gambino family look like a bunch of pikers

[Coexist]

2. that sucks.

I have no words.

[dogday]

4. It's about time that

these warmongers are tried for their part in this war... They cheated us...

[burythehatchet]

5. The REALY bad news

is that this sets precedent for the remaining 10 billion.

[soothsayer]

6. Well, Custer lost his last Battle, so maybe there's hope for this

ill named co. of crooks

[xchrom]

7. i wonder what the back ground of mr t.s. ellis III is?

[xchrom]

8. a quick review of some of his cases

i can't figure out his affliation.