Well, this will make you sick...Texas woman loses rape case against KBR

[joeybee12]

HOUSTON (AP) — A Houston jury on Friday rejected the claims against military contractor KBR Inc. by a Texas woman who said she was drugged and raped while working in Iraq.

A federal court jury returned its verdict after starting deliberations Thursday in the case of Jamie Leigh Jones.

Jones, 26, said she was raped in 2005 while working for KBR at Camp Hope, Baghdad. She sued KBR, its former parent Halliburton Co., and a former KBR firefighter, Charles Bortz, whom she identified as one of her rapists. The Houston-based companies and Bortz denied her allegations.

http://news.yahoo.com/texas-woman-loses-iraq-rape-case-against-kbr-210931043.html

Yeah, I think KBR got off on this one.

[northoftheborder]

1. That makes me sick.

[w8liftinglady]

2. why does this not surprise me?

and,yes...I live in Texas.

We are officially third-world here.

[Zywiec]

3. Yep, let's trash another jury without knowing shit about the case. n/t

[JimGinPA]

5. Her Story Is Covered In The Documentary "Hot Coffee"

She was actually raped & drugged... and more.

[xphile]

10. And locked in a shipping container to keep her from going to the authorities if I remember correctly

Senator Franken had to push through a law just to get her her day in court because they wanted to force her into arbitration.

This is some sick shit. WTF is wrong with those people?

[WhiteTara]

8. She had reconstructive surgery on her anus and

her breasts...they ripped her breast implant from her body.
How's that for knowing something about her case?
Where's your star?

[solarman350]

14. Peter Falk Here, Roanoke Raincoat: Just One More Thing About This Case...

Had a couple of questions about this case:

1. Did the victim file a police report and seek medical attention IMMEDIATELY after she got free from her captors?

2. Will this case's outcome get appealed?

--There is likely an entire group of rape survivors now who've worked as contractors in Iraq and/or Afghanistan. Hopefully, they'll get into court with their cases and make the news in so doing. The Public is not going to know about this ugly side to being a contractor for companies like KBR until it makes the "news." Hopefully, the then better-informed Public would (hopefully) ask their elected lawmakers to bring legislation...legislation that really drops the hammer on govt. contracting companies and the actual rapists. Then again, if a federal court couldn't come up with a satisfying verdict for the rape victim, what else is there except the court of public opinion?

SolarMan350

[Angry Dragon]

20. It happened in Iraq and no double jeopardy

[WhiteTara]

27. Yes she did.

The main problem is (I think, but can't say for sure) that it has to do with they signed mediation agreements with KBR when they began work for the company; but I haven't followed the trial, but do know about the case and read some before the trial. I am so sorry that not only was her life ruined, she has no recourse against the bastards who hurt her. They got a pass.

[Zavulon]

21. "Where's your star?"

Not everyone can afford to donate, including me. Does that mean we don't get opinions?

Where's your admin icon?

[WhiteTara]

28. $5.00 a year is too much?

I'm sorry. I'm sure the site would accept even one dollar.

[tammywammy]

29. Yes, $5 is too much for some people.

If you have such an issue you can always donate on their behalf, otherwise it's none of your business.

[Zavulon]

35. Thank you.

The pompous attitudes of some people never cease to amaze me. I'm working part-time because that's all I can find.

[Aerows]

32. She was savaged

I can't believe that she lost the case. We don't have a justice system anymore.

[lbrtbell]

17. Yep, let's trash another rape victim

Why the hell do we see so much of this here on DU?

[Innoma]

4. Hot Coffee

An interesting HBO documentary entitled 'Hot Coffee' (about the dangers of tort reform) features the story of Jamie Leigh Jones (among others); catch it if you can!

[CoffeeCat]

12. I saw Jamie's story in HOT COFFEE...

...and I was so sorry to hear that she did not win her case.

When she signed employment contracts to work at KBR, she unknowingly agreed to never
sue KBR if they harmed her--and instead agreed to binding arbitration. Binding arbitration
requires workers to settle disputes through arbiters who are employees of the company--in
this case KBR.

Jamie's fight was to get her case heard in a public court--instead of only the unfair
KBR arbitration. She won, because her case was heard.

I'll have to read more about the verdict. It's possible that the contract she signed
superseded everything else and that is why the case was lost.

The animals that committed these crimes against her were sexually harassing her for weeks.
She was bunking WITH them...forced to cohabit ate with them. She complained to KBR and asked
to be moved. Shortly thereafter, she was brutally assaulted. She was drugged, but when
she awoke the next day, she had bruises and cuts all over her. Her breasts were bruised
and her entire body was harmed. She could tell she had been raped. One of the men who
raped her was in her bed the next morning. A pretty brutal case. And yes, as someone else
mentioned, she was locked in a shipping container, with a KBR guard outside after the
reported the rape. She repeatedly begged one of the guards who was in charge of guarding the
shipping container, to help her. He finally gave her a cell phone and she called her father
and told him what was happening. It was only then that she got help.

The entire story is a disgusting, revolting injustice.

I am glad that she was able to face her attackers and accuse them. In HOT COFFEE, she explained
that this is what she wanted--to face them and accuse them in a court of law.

I hope this helped her to heal, even if the justice system failed her. She fought to have
that case heard and was denied so many times. She even testified before Congress, with Al
Franken helping her along the way.

Peace and healing to Jamie. She deserves it.

[kelly1mm]

6. She had her day in court with a jury who did not see it her way. Why would one be sick about it?

We have a court system, she used it, and ultimately could not prove her case according to the jury. Just because she is going up against a scummy business does not mean she she should automatically win.

[Name removed]

9. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[JoeyT]

23. Because most people that have dealt with our "justice" system

will openly tell you it's a complete piece of shit. Especially if you're fighting someone with tons of money. Doubly so if you're a woman. Triply so if it's anything to do with sex.

[kelly1mm]

33. So what do you propose to change that would not make it worse? nt

[chervilant]

34. OMG!

Why in the WORLD would you post such an egregious, condescending, indefensible statement?!?

If the jury was privy to the facts in this case, Ms. Jones would be vindicated.

Our 'court system' failed this woman, and you totally miss the point if you think she pursued this case to 'win'!

[proud2BlibKansan]

7. Mother Jones has a good piece on this.

http://motherjones.com/politics/2011/07/kbr-could-win-jamie-leigh-jones-rape-trial

[Stuart G]

11. I read the link at Mother Jones...and

if you read it too, you would see it puts questions on her testimony and her story that we heard a year or two ago.

I don't know about Mother Jones...is it more reliable than this woman?

[proud2BlibKansan]

13. I thought it showed that the opposing legal team won the case for their client

I still believe her. She's spent too many years on this to start making shit up. But the other lawyer was better. I really think it's as simple as that.

[JonLP24]

15. The article doesn't mention

the kit went missing for 2 years(I think) when discussing evidence. Or am I misremembering that fact? I remember reading something about that somewhere.

[tammywammy]

26. Interesting article

I can see how the jury decided the way they did.

[Johnny Harpo]

16. This Is What I Expected After Seeing Her Story On Hot Coffee

[defendandprotect]

18. This needs more attention than it will get today -- !!

[joeybee12]

22. I agree, so I'm doing a vanity kick! nt

[defendandprotect]

30. kr

[OnyxCollie]

19. Bastards.

[Maine-ah]

24. wtf?

" had to have reconstructive surgery for her breasts, which were disfigured in her attack."

[Harry Callahan]

25. "The alleged sexual assault was investigated by authorities but no criminal charges were filed."

That pretty much sums it up.

[Aerows]

31. I saw that

And it did make me sick. I really have nothing else to say except that it sickens me.