What is the current status of the Raven 23 case?

After a third trial filled with numerous erroneous legal rulings and prosecutorial misconduct, Nick Slatten’s jury returned a shocking guilty verdict on December 19, 2018, despite the overwhelming evidence of Nick’s innocence. We anticipate a flurry of legal filings and proceedings in Nick’s case in 2019, including an appeal if necessary. Evan Liberty, Dustin Heard, and Paul Slough have been sitting in federal prison for over a year without sentences. It is not clear when they will be resentenced, but additional legal proceedings are expected in their case in 2019 as well. Check our Blog for updates, and please also sign up for our Free Raven 23 Newsletter to stay updated on our continued fight to #FreeRaven23. We will never quit, but we need your help now more than ever.

Have you had contact with the media? 

Yes, to an extent.  On the advice of counsel, in the seven years between the incident and the 2014 trial, we did not talk to the media.  However, after the shocking verdict convicting our loved ones of heinous and untrue crimes, we have made limited media appearances, ranging from Fox & Friends to local radio shows.  Sean Hannity’s website also featured our story, as did Colonel Allen West.  Most recently, in September 2018, Sharyl Attkisson featured our story on her nationally broadcasted news program, Full Measure. However, we have lacked the consistent coverage necessary to set the record straight on nearly a decade of irresponsible journalism.  We are fighting daily for the break that will make a real difference in our fight for true justice and transparency.  And we appreciate your help.  If you know members of the media who would be willing to talk with us, or if you are skilled at media relations or have connections you would share, please reach out to us through the Contact Us page.

Have you had contact with your elected officials?

Yes.  While the case works its way through the judicial system, congressional ethics rules limit the actions available to members of our legislative branch.  However, Congressmen in each of the three home states of our men (New Hampshire, Tennessee, and Texas) have offered what support they can to our families.  And, critically, they have also sponsored weapons legislation that, if passed, will prevent the Department of Justice from ever again abusing the federal weapons law that was misapplied in our case to punish service to this country.  You can read more about this issue on our Weapons Charge and Legislative Action pages.

Are you seeking a presidential pardon? 

Yes, at this point this may be necessary since our justice system has been unsuccessful in correcting this enormous injustice.  It is critical for the President to hear from as many concerned citizens as possible about the false justice of the Raven 23 convictions and the need for accountability within the DOJ for the deplorable misconduct that occurred to convict these innocent men.  Please write to him about our case.  You can even find a form letter on our What Can I Do? page.

What can we do to help the men directly?

Our men want nothing more right now than for you to speak out and their families not to suffer financially.  This website provides many examples of what you can do to speak out, and it offers products that you can purchase and wear or display to show your support.  Thank you for doing what you can to help Free Raven 23.

Can I write them?

YES!  And they love hearing from you.  Due to restrictions at some facilities, plain white paper and envelopes are recommended to avoid having your correspondence returned. They may not receive care packages, money, stamps, or any items other than correspondence and pictures through the mail. If you would like to make a donation to one of their commissary accounts so that they can purchase items such as extra food, stamps, and phone/computer usage, please message us on Facebook or reach out through our Contact Us page. Thank you!

Mail to:

Dustin Heard 16020-081
FCI MEMPHIS
FEDERAL CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTION
P.O. BOX 34550
MEMPHIS, TN 38184

Evan Liberty 16019-081
FCI SCHUYLKILL
FEDERAL CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTION
P.O. BOX 759
MINERSVILLE, PA 17954

Paul Slough 16017-081
FCI EL RENO
FEDERAL CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTION
P.O. BOX 1500
EL RENO, OK 73036

Nicholas Slatten
Address will be updated ASAP

Can I send them books?

Yes.  You can send books directly through Amazon to the addresses above.  However, please be aware that some of the facilities limit the number of books the men may receive in a week and the number of books they may have in their cells at one time.  Therefore, before sending books, please reach out to us through the Contact Us page to schedule the appropriate time to send your book.

If you are the family and friends of these men, why should we trust you?

Fair question.  Unlike the DOJ, we do not hide evidence, and we are not afraid of the truth.  The evidence on this page is real evidence and testimony from the trials.  Real evidence that establishes Nick did not shoot, let alone kill, the driver of the white Kia, and real evidence that establishes Paul, Evan, and Dustin’s actions were taken in self-defense.  You will not find most of this evidence anywhere else because the very few members of the media who regularly attended the proceedings have refused to report it. We have also received independent reviews from legal and use-of-force experts who were not paid for their opinions and who have no connection to Dustin, Evan, Nick, or Paul; and members of Congress have even spoken out about the injustices in this case.  We want you to be armed with the facts of the case and then for you to decide for yourself if you believe these men have been treated fairly and equitably by our justice system.  If you believe that they have, we sincerely thank you for at least considering our position.  If you believe they have not, we ask that you join us in this fight.

Why should we care what happens to Blackwater contractors when innocent people died in Nisur Square?

Believe it or not, this is one of our most common questions. The fact that people are consistently asking it underscores the bias that exists toward Evan, Dustin, Nick, and Paul because they worked for Blackwater and, possibly, because they are veterans. However, Evan, Dustin, Nick, and Paul are not guilty of massacring innocent civilians, and the government has broken every single rule in the book in accusing and convicting them of crimes they did not commit. To be more clear, Evan, Dustin, and Paul were not convicted in 2014 because their individual shots were bad; they supposedly “aided and abetted” crimes of the government cooperator who admitted to spraying the crowd with bullets, even though the record is clear they had no idea this man was not positively identifying threats before shooting and even though they were responding to legitimate threats with their own shots. Nick’s 2014 conviction was overturned because evidence of his innocence was hidden from his jury. Then, instead of recognizing this (and other) evidence cleared Nick, the government vindictively continued to prosecute him and somehow convinced a third civilian jury (after a second jury could not reach a verdict) to find Nick guilty by association (again) despite clear evidence of Nick’s innocence. To gain these convictions, the government has withheld exculpatory evidence, knowingly presented perjured testimony, and misrepresented key facts to the trial court, the juries, and the public. The government’s misconduct in this case is an affront to the individual constitutional rights we are all afforded as citizens of the United States—rights that all four of the men involved served and fought to defend. If the government can get away with trampling the constitution in a case that many people are watching, what is it doing in cases when no one is looking? Will you care when the person wrongly accused is someone against whom you do not hold a bias?