Trump pardons Blackwater contractors convicted in deaths of 14 Iraqi civilians
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- factconvicted
The four former Blackwater contractors whom Trump later pardoned were convicted in 2014: Nicholas Slatten of first-degree murder, and Paul Slough, Evan Liberty, and Dustin Heard of voluntary manslaughter, attempted manslaughter, and firearms offenses arising from the Nisur Square shooting, which DOJ said killed 14 unarmed Iraqi civilians and wounded at least 17 people.
Independent account of the convictions, 14 victims, and later pardonsJury convicted four Blackwater contractors for the Nisur Square shooting · Convicted October 22, 2014; pardoned December 22, 2020 · reviewed 2026-09-03
- factdocumented
Donald Trump granted full pardons on December 22, 2020 to Nicholas Slatten, Paul Slough, Evan Liberty, and Dustin Heard, the four former Blackwater contractors whose Nisur Square convictions and sentences are recorded in separate events.
Independent contemporaneous report on the four pardons, convictions, sentences, victims, and contractor roleTrump granted full pardons to four Blackwater contractors convicted in the Nisur Square case · Full presidential pardons granted December 22, 2020 · reviewed 2026-09-03
- analysisreported
In its July 2, 2021 report, the U.N. Working Group on the use of mercenaries described Trump's 2020 pardons of the four convicted Blackwater contractors as an affront to justice and cited its earlier concern that the pardons violated international law.
Independent account of the pardons, convictions, victims, and contractor roleU.N. working group called Trump's Blackwater pardons an affront to justice · U.N. Working Group submitted its assessment on July 2, 2021 · reviewed 2026-09-03