He worked in Hollywood as an adviser on several films, including the Demi Moore film "G.I. Academi spokesman John Procter declined comment, citing terms of the confidential settlement. ", "I just hope that he was referring to the Holy Mother or calling God to help him," she says, just steps from where her son is buried. He called his mother before he left on the mission, leaving her a final message on her answering machine to tell her that he loved her. "At one point, we were actually told -- my [other] son, my husband and myself -- that if we wanted to see the paperwork of how my son and his co-workers were killed that we'd have to sue them," said Zovko, of Cleveland. The mothers' lawsuit may finally force some exposure to the murky world of private military contracting that has only gained in notoriety and controversy since the Iraq war began. When she talked to investigators, Helvenston denied for hours that she knew anything about Sanderlin's death, according to a transcript of the session. His skills were also in demand in the dangerous field of security work, where employees of private companies perform tasks once handled by the U.S. military. Jane," and created a line of workout videos, his mother said. Helvenston reportedly told them she took the gun from Sanderlin's waistband as he tried to sexually assault her. E-mails written just before Scott Helvenston was killed, and made public during his mother's trip to Washington, describe the concerns at least one Blackwater worker had about the need for weapons and other equipment. var path = 'hr' + 'ef' + '='; WebThough Scott was 38 when he died on his first day in Iraq, he was at the top of his game. "I will tell you some aspects of the investigation would be problematic to me as a parent," Lindsey said, referring to investigators' use of "misdirection" or the "good cop, bad cop" routine. (PHOTOS), 'The Bachelorette' alum Ashley Hebert celebrates anniversary with boyfriend Yanni Georgoulakis, 'The Bachelorette' alum Gabby Windey confirms if she's dating 'Dancing with the Stars' pro Alan Bersten, 'The Bachelor' alum Bekah Martinez and fiance Grayston Leonard expecting Baby No. As such, he was sought by dozens of American contractors in need of his military expertise, Twyford said. v. Blackwater Security is the lawsuit for wrongful death filed by the families of the four contractors for Blackwater Security (since renamed Academi) killed in the 31 March 2004 Fallujah ambush. On the mission in Falluja, he and his comrades Scott Helvenston, Mike Teague and Wesley Batalona were killed when they were ambushed in their two vehicles as they escorted three empty flatbed trucks. "I want accountability, and I want them punished for their crime," she said of Blackwater executives. Maybe he'll tell me the truth," she says. He also attended the funeral, and the company held a memorial service for her son and the other slain guards. Specifically, the Pentagon doesn't even know how many of these guys are working for them, let alone what they're doing in these cases.". years, and later moved to San Diego, California, where he deployed with Navy SEAL in U.S. history. A 17-year-old girl charged in the slaying of a man in March is the daughter of one of four Blackwater contractors killed and mutilated in an infamous attack in Fallujah, Iraq, several years ago. The military can't control them because they're not part of the military. "If you spent any time around him, you were drawn to his charisma," said Twyford, a pharmaceutical salesman who lives in Winter Haven and spoke almost weekly with Helvenston. I guess this chapter is done but this story has not ended. "Scott was a warrior, he was very proud of his country and his role over there (in Iraq).". Helvenston's mother, Kathryn Helvenston-Wettengel of Leesburg, declined through a family spokesman to comment about her son. Twyford said he learned of his friend's death Thursday while on the road in Melbourne. View agent, publicist, legal and company contact details on IMDbPro. "Blackwater: The Rise of the World's Most Powerful Mercenary Army", p. 205. Vous devez activer le JavaScript pour la visualiser. All site content is 2000-2019 Reality TV World and may not be republished or reproduced without Reality TV World's expressed written permission. KATIE HELVENSTON-WETTENGEL Donna Zovko and the three other families who lost their relatives in the Falluja ambush have sued Blackwater, alleging the company failed to provide their loved ones with adequate gear, weaponry and support. Contractors - The High-Risk Contracting Business - PBS A wreath with 36 roses marks Jerry Zovko's birthday. She also asks to speak with her mother, says, "I'm leaving," and "I just want to go home," and later asks, "Can we stop talking?". Scott Helvenston was born in 1965 in Ocala, Florida and raised in Leesburg, Florida. [9], In January 2011, U.S. district judge James C. Fox dismissed the suit after no progress was made in court-ordered arbitration. Jane and appeared on two reality series: Man vs. Bruns argued that Helvenston's statement showed that if events happened as Helvenston described, Sanderlin had stood up and moved away when she began to shoot. He was a fitness instructor, motion picture trainer-stuntman and former U.S. Navy SEAL. A physically gifted man, he trained actress Demi Moore for the movie "G.I. "I'm a very forgiving person, but I don't think I will ever forgive them for that. "[4] In addition the contract called for a minimum of three-man teams in two vehicles (for a total of six men), with a heavily armed rear gunner, and time before any mission to review the route and conduct a risk assessment and pre-trip inspection. What Shows Have Been Renewed or Canceled? Officially, the company has expressed its regrets to the families but says its men knew what they were getting into in Iraq. Three yellow roses sat next to the headstone with a hand-written note: "Happy Birthday Jerry.". But they see themselves as protected by a law that enables contractors to work in war zones, lumping the company in with the U.S. military's "total force" in Iraq, according to Time magazine. Afterward, Jerry Zovko's brother, Tommy, watched his mom and dad walk through the darkness to their car as rain poured down. He was working as a security contractor for Blackwater Security when he was killed in the 31 March The Bachelorette Couples: Where are they now? v. Blackwater Security is the lawsuit for wrongful death filed by the families of the four contractors for Blackwater Security (since renamed Academi) killed in the 31 March 2004 Fallujah ambush.