Raven 23: Presumption of Guilt
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Top 10 Raven 23: Presumption of Guilt Episodes
Goodpods has curated a list of the 10 best Raven 23: Presumption of Guilt episodes, ranked by the number of listens and likes each episode have garnered from our listeners. If you are listening to Raven 23: Presumption of Guilt for the first time, there's no better place to start than with one of these standout episodes. If you are a fan of the show, vote for your favorite Raven 23: Presumption of Guilt episode by adding your comments to the episode page.
The Code of Hammurabi
Raven 23: Presumption of Guilt
04/04/20 • 25 min
We pick up TWO YEARS after the investigation into the Nisour Square Incident and Blackwaters alleged misconduct
US District Judge Ricardo Urbina throws out the case against Dustin Heard, Evan Liberty, Paul Slough and Nick Slatten, blasting prosecutors for pervasive misconduct and vindictive prosecution.
The Raven 23 men pick up their lives cautiously after Urbina’s New Year’s Eve 2009 ruling, trying to resurrect their dreams for themselves and their families.
Meanwhile, the Bush and succeeding Obama administrations grapple with shifting politics in Iraq, including the country’s first presidential election and negotiation of the status of forces agreement that will determine how long US troops may remain in Iraq.
FOR MORE:
POLITICO
Judge Dismisses Blackwater Case
https://www.politico.com/story/2009/12/judge-dismisses-blackwater-case-031091
MEMORANDUM OF DISMISSAL
Judge Ricardo Urbina Comments on Dismissal of Charges
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/projects/documents/memorandum-of-dismissal-of-charges-against-blackwater-guards
Universal Deceit
Raven 23: Presumption of Guilt
11/11/19 • 27 min
Mike and Gina introduce the men of Blackwater’s Raven 23: Dustin Heard, a former US Marine from Maryville, Tennessee; former US Marine Evan Liberty from Rochester, New Hampshire; US Army veteran Paul Slough of Sanger, Texas; and Nicholas Slatten, a veteran of the US Army’s 82nd Airborne Division, of Sparta, Tennessee.
Their families and military comrades discuss the characters and reputations of these small town enlistees, and what motivated them to join the fight after the Sept. 11, 2001, hijacking attacks on New York and Washington DC.
The episode also introduces Blackwater Worldwide founder, Erik Prince.FOR MORE:
GALLUP POLL:
62% feel U.S. made a mistake sending troops to Iraq (2007)https://news.gallup.com/poll/28099/latest-poll-shows-high-point-opposition-iraq-war.aspx
NYT:
From Texas to Iraq, and Center Of The Blackwater case (2008)https://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/19/us/19slough.html
SUPPORT THE MEN OF RAVEN 23:
http://www.supportraven23.com/
Trailer
Raven 23: Presumption of Guilt
06/16/19 • 5 min
How did four highly decorated American soldiers become prisoners of war in their own country? This series re-examines the US Department of Justice’s controversial prosecution following a controversial battle in Baghdad. Why did the DOJ hold multiple trials for over a decade? Was the DOJ seeking justice? Or playing politics?
Unintended Consequences
Raven 23: Presumption of Guilt
11/15/19 • 23 min
Gina and Mike explain how US Secretary of State Donald Rumsfeld put in motion the growing influence and use of military contractors the day before the Sept. 11, 2001, hijacking attacks on New York and Washington DC.
This episode introduces Judge Royce Lamberth, chief of the US District Court for the Washington DC circuit and head of the secret Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court (FISA) that allowed law enforcement to spy on US citizens.
Meanwhile, Dustin, Evan, Paul and Nick deployed to find the conflict, US preparedness and the people they encountered markedly different from what they expected.
And Blackwater Worldwide founder Erik Prince describes how his military contracting company morphed from a battlefield supply service to a finely honed, superbly equipped diplomatic protection squad and quick reaction force to meet growing violence across war-torn Iraq.
FOR MORE:
RUMSFELD INTERVIEW
Donald Rumsfeld's 9/11 story
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=haCq-WS-VXU
LAMBERTH INTERVIEW
Judge Reflects after 9/11, 'Bloodcurdling' Briefings
https://www.npr.org/2013/07/11/198329788/fisa-court-judge-reflects-after-sept-11-bloodcurdling-meetings-and-briefingsSKATING ON STILTS
Book by Stewart Baker
https://www.skatingonstilts.com/
Unintended Consequences: 1 Vindictive Judge, 19 Suicidal Hijackers, and 3,000 Innocent Victims
Raven 23: Presumption of Guilt
11/15/19 • 23 min
Closing Argument
Raven 23: Presumption of Guilt
08/20/21 • 61 min
The men of Raven 23 resist mounting prosecutorial pressure to plead guilty, and must finally face trial -- a legal odyssey that dragged for seven more years and encompassed three trials. In this episode, Gina chronicles the repeated violations of the men’s civil rights at the hands of prosecutors who are aided by a complicit judge.
Clint Lorance Interview
Raven 23: Presumption of Guilt
12/18/19 • 30 min
Clint Lorance served as a First Lieutenant in the US Army in Afghanistan when he was selected for the dangerous job of Platoon leader in June, 2012. The following month, Clint ordered HIs men to defend themselves against three Taliban soldiers speeding towards them on motorcyles. Rather than receiving a commendation, he was unjustly found guilty on two counts of second-degree murder and one count of attempted murder. He was confined in the United States Disciplinary Barracks at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas for over six years until he was fully pardoned and ordered released by President Donald Trump in November, 2019.
Similar to the case of the Biden Four, Clint did not receive a fair trial. The government withheld key information from the jury. The prosecutors did not disclose evicence which would have cleared Clint of any wrong-doing - "biometric data" (fingerprint and DNA evidence).
The prosecution also failed to notify the jury that witnesses against Clint were themselves initially accused of murder, given immunity from prosecution, and were ordered to cooperate with prosecutors.
Clint Lorrance walked into the Army recruiting station in Greenville, Texas on hIs 18th Birthday to join the Army as a military policeman.
On December 13, 2002, Clint's 18th birthday, Clint walked into the Army recruiting station in Greenville, Texas, and joined the Army as a military policeman (MP). For the next decade, he served HIs country with honor and distinction, only to find HImself unjustly imprisoned for six years. So more than half of HIs entire life has been spent either defending HIs country or serving time in prison for crimes that he did not connect.
Miraculously, Clint has refused to yield to anger or bitterness. Since being released, he has dedicated substantial time and energy to making sure other veterans who were unlawfully imprisoned finally receive the justice they deserve and the freedom stolen from them by a political prosecution. The majority of this time has been spent raising awareness about the political prosecution of the men of Raven 23.
Homecoming
Raven 23: Presumption of Guilt
08/20/21 • 50 min
In our final episode, Gina visits with Dustin Heard, Evan Liberty, Nick Slatten and Paul Slough three months after President Donald J. Trump issued unconditional pardons to free them from prison. They talk about hearing the news that they were coming home to their families for Christmas, and about their hopes and dreams.
Joe Biden's Baghdad Betrayal
Raven 23: Presumption of Guilt
08/11/20 • 52 min
Just two days after Judge Ricardo Urbina threw out the government’s case against Raven 23, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and her legal advisors were scheming on ways to revive it.
The news of the dismissal reverberated across Iraq, with religious and political leaders demanding that the US Justice Department bring new charges against Dustin Heard, Paul Slough, Evan Liberty and Nick Slatten.
State Department cables from the time show that the Iraqi government was threatening to withdraw from the Status of Forces Agreement and lucrative oil contracts.
Obama sent Vice President Joseph Biden to Iraq to assure the Iraqi people publicly that they would have “justice” in the Raven 23 case.
FOR MORE:
WIKILEAKS
State Department diplomatic cables: "Fallout over Blackwater Continues"
https://wikileaks.org/plusd/cables/10BAGHDAD63_a.htmlASSOCIATED PRESS
Biden says "U.S. to Appeal Blackwater Dismissal"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=amGSJuwszC8
Breaking the Code
Raven 23: Presumption of Guilt
06/30/20 • 30 min
Gina and Mike examine the US government’s machinations to overcome the shortcomings of the investigation.
Witness accounts begin shifting as US prosecutors pressure witnesses to bring the case to trial in response to mounting political pressure in Iraq.
Prosecutors convene a grand jury to try to make manslaughter charges stick against Dustin Heard, Evan Liberty, Paul Slough and Nick Slatten. Their star witness is Raven 23 team member Jeremy Ridgeway, who recants his statement that the convoy took incoming fire after prosecutors threaten him.
Heard, Liberty, Slatten and Slough describe increasingly aggressive tactics by FBI agents and prosecutors to try to force them into guilty pleas.
Less than a day after Judge Urbina kills the case, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton queries her legal advisor, Harold Koh: “What can we do about Judge Urbina’s ruling?”
FOR MORE:
WIKILEAKS
Hillary Clinton Email Archive -- Blackwater case
https://wikileaks.org/clinton-emails/emailid/680ABC NEWS
Jeremy Ridgeway pleads guilty in secret deal.
https://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/FedCrimes/story?id=6417440&page=1
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FAQ
How many episodes does Raven 23: Presumption of Guilt have?
Raven 23: Presumption of Guilt currently has 18 episodes available.
What topics does Raven 23: Presumption of Guilt cover?
The podcast is about News, Faith, Court, Biden, Obama, Podcasts, War, Politics and Government.
What is the most popular episode on Raven 23: Presumption of Guilt?
The episode title 'Joe Biden's Baghdad Betrayal' is the most popular.
What is the average episode length on Raven 23: Presumption of Guilt?
The average episode length on Raven 23: Presumption of Guilt is 33 minutes.
How often are episodes of Raven 23: Presumption of Guilt released?
Episodes of Raven 23: Presumption of Guilt are typically released every 35 days, 4 hours.
When was the first episode of Raven 23: Presumption of Guilt?
The first episode of Raven 23: Presumption of Guilt was released on Jun 16, 2019.
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