According to numerous national news sources, President Donald Trump has pardoned the four Blackwater private contractors, one of which was from Sparta, who were involved in the killing of 17 Iraqi civilians in Nisour Square, in Baghdad.

According to federal prosecutors, Dustin Heard of Maryville, TN  — along with Evan Liberty of Rochester, N.H., Nicholas Slatten of Sparta, Tennessee, and Paul Slough of Keller, Texas — was serving as a security guard on a State Department contract for Blackwater Security Consulting’s (now Academi) Raven 23 security team.

The group was guarding a diplomatic envoy in 2007 when they began firing on unarmed civilians “upon a sudden quarrel and heat of passion,” according to federal prosecutors.

A story from the New York Times states the president pardoned four former U.S. service members who were convicted on charges related to the Nisour Square incident while they were working as contractors for Blackwater, in 2007.

Nicholas Slatten, of Sparta, had been sentenced to life in prison for his alleged involvement in the incident. Slatten had been a contractor for the private company Blackwater. The news of his pardon broke on Dec. 22, 2020, which left family members and friends sharing their excitement on social media.

State Senator Paul Bailey, of White County, responded to the news of the pardon.

“I was notified Tuesday that President Trump was issuing a pardon for Nick Slatten,” Bailey said. “It’s been a long time coming, and I appreciate our president’s willingness to see justice prevail and Nick united with family.

FULL STORY HERE