Pittsburgh Family Sues Over Electrocution Death of Soldier in Iraq

The parents of Staff Sgt. Ryan Maseth are fighting to preserve their lawsuit against military contractor KBR, which is seeking to dismiss their wrongful death lawsuit. Maseth was one of a number of soldiers who died of electrocution in showers maintained by KBR. Rep. Jason Altmire is calling for an investigation, but he is only half right. Altmire and his colleagues should be holding hearings on the elimination of the Feres Doctrice, barring soldiers from suing the military in such cases.
KBR is seeking the dismissal on the basis that the case “raises inherently political questions involving… military policy level and tactical decision making … and the direction the military provided to KBR regarding needed repair work.” The Bush Administration has been holding back information on how many people have been injured or killed by such shoddy work by contractors.

KBR is also relying on the “combatant activities exemption” which “shields the U.S. government. For a discussion of the Feres Doctrine and its untold harm, click here and here and here.

KBR has been the subject of considerable public outcry over its billings, negligence, and even criminal conduct like rape by its employees, like here.

For the full story, click here.