Murder Conviction Against Blackwater Guard, Sparta Resident Thrown Out

A U.S. appeals court threw out the first-degree murder conviction of a Sparta resident and former Blackwater Security guard sentenced to life in prison in the killings of 14 unarmed Iraqi civilians in 2007.

A three judge panel said 33-year-old Nicholas Slatten should have been tried separately instead of alongside three former colleagues. At a new trial Slatten would be able to introduce evidence that one of his co-defendants had fired the first shot.

The court also ordered resentencing for three others convicted in the case. It’s not known if Slatten will be retried.