Families of Boat Strike Victims Sue U.S. for "Manifestly Unlawful" Killings
In a shocking turn of events, the families of two Trinidadian men killed in a U.S.-led boat strike on October 14 have filed a lawsuit against the United States government, claiming that their loved ones were victims of "manifestly unlawful" killings.
Chad Joseph, 26, and Rishi Samaroo, 41, died when a U.S. Navy ship fired missiles at a boat they were traveling in, off the coast of Trinidad. The incident was part of a broader pattern of attacks on boats by the U.S. military in the Caribbean Sea and Pacific Ocean, which have resulted in the deaths of at least 126 civilians.
The lawsuit, filed under the Death on the High Seas Act and the Alien Tort Statute, alleges that the U.S. government violated international law and the human rights of the two men. The plaintiffs are seeking damages for wrongful death, extrajudicial killing, and other claims.
"This was a murder," said Steven Watt, a senior staff attorney with the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU). "These were both homicides. Both men were killed without any due process."
The incident is not an isolated one. The U.S. military has carried out 36 known attacks on boats in the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific Ocean since September, killing at least 126 civilians. The most recent attack occurred in January, killing two people and leaving one survivor.
Experts say that the strikes are illegal extrajudicial killings because the military is not permitted to deliberately target civilians - even suspected criminals who do not pose an imminent threat of violence.
"Whatever that secret memorandum states, it cannot render the patently illegal killings lawful," said Jonathan Hafetz, a professor at Seton Hall Law School. "People may not simply be gunned down by the government, and the Trump administration's claims to the contrary risk making America a pariah state."
The lawsuit is seen as a significant development in the ongoing debate over U.S. military actions in the Caribbean and Pacific. The Intercept has reported on the attacks and the impact they have had on civilians.
"This is not hyperbole," said Hafetz. "We're seeing a full-on authoritarian takeover of the U.S. government."
The families of the two men killed in the boat strike are seeking answers and justice, but their case may be the first to bring attention to the broader issue of extrajudicial killings by the U.S. military.
"We want the truth," said Lenore Burnley, Joseph's mother. "We want to know why our son was killed. We hope that speaking out will help get us some answers and closure."
The lawsuit is being brought in U.S. federal admiralty court under the Death on the High Seas Act, which covers wrongful maritime deaths. The plaintiffs are also seeking claims for extrajudicial killing under the Alien Tort Statute.
The Justice Department has not immediately returned a request for comment about the lawsuit.
In a shocking turn of events, the families of two Trinidadian men killed in a U.S.-led boat strike on October 14 have filed a lawsuit against the United States government, claiming that their loved ones were victims of "manifestly unlawful" killings.
Chad Joseph, 26, and Rishi Samaroo, 41, died when a U.S. Navy ship fired missiles at a boat they were traveling in, off the coast of Trinidad. The incident was part of a broader pattern of attacks on boats by the U.S. military in the Caribbean Sea and Pacific Ocean, which have resulted in the deaths of at least 126 civilians.
The lawsuit, filed under the Death on the High Seas Act and the Alien Tort Statute, alleges that the U.S. government violated international law and the human rights of the two men. The plaintiffs are seeking damages for wrongful death, extrajudicial killing, and other claims.
"This was a murder," said Steven Watt, a senior staff attorney with the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU). "These were both homicides. Both men were killed without any due process."
The incident is not an isolated one. The U.S. military has carried out 36 known attacks on boats in the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific Ocean since September, killing at least 126 civilians. The most recent attack occurred in January, killing two people and leaving one survivor.
Experts say that the strikes are illegal extrajudicial killings because the military is not permitted to deliberately target civilians - even suspected criminals who do not pose an imminent threat of violence.
"Whatever that secret memorandum states, it cannot render the patently illegal killings lawful," said Jonathan Hafetz, a professor at Seton Hall Law School. "People may not simply be gunned down by the government, and the Trump administration's claims to the contrary risk making America a pariah state."
The lawsuit is seen as a significant development in the ongoing debate over U.S. military actions in the Caribbean and Pacific. The Intercept has reported on the attacks and the impact they have had on civilians.
"This is not hyperbole," said Hafetz. "We're seeing a full-on authoritarian takeover of the U.S. government."
The families of the two men killed in the boat strike are seeking answers and justice, but their case may be the first to bring attention to the broader issue of extrajudicial killings by the U.S. military.
"We want the truth," said Lenore Burnley, Joseph's mother. "We want to know why our son was killed. We hope that speaking out will help get us some answers and closure."
The lawsuit is being brought in U.S. federal admiralty court under the Death on the High Seas Act, which covers wrongful maritime deaths. The plaintiffs are also seeking claims for extrajudicial killing under the Alien Tort Statute.
The Justice Department has not immediately returned a request for comment about the lawsuit.
It's just getting weird how the US military is basically trying to make itself a global executioner 
. First, it's like, "Hey, we're keeping you safe from terrorists", and then BAM! You're dead because you were on a boat with your family or something 
. And now these families are suing for what? Because apparently the US military has some sort of "manifestly unlawful" kill-your-civilians-on-a-whim memo 
. Like, come on, can't they just follow basic human rights and not try to make America a global killing zone? 
. 126 lives lost and still no one's held accountable... meanwhile, the trump admin thinks they can just gloss over this with some secret memo 
. the fact that these families are taking action and fighting for justice shows us that there's still a chance for change in this country 
. What's going on with these boat strikes? It sounds like the US military is just randomly killing people who are just trying to get from one place to another. That's not right, you know? I mean, Chad and Rishi were just two regular guys, minding their own business, and then... boom! They're dead because of a US Navy ship. That's not justice, that's just plain cruel.
. 126+ lives lost already... it's too much 
. We need to hold our governments accountable for such actions 
why can't our leaders make some decisions that don't put innocent lives at risk? I think it's absolutely appalling that the US military has been carrying out these attacks without any real oversight or accountability 
. If it's true that the U.S. military isn't allowed to target civilians, but still did so anyway, then that means someone made a deliberate choice to put lives at risk 
. The families of those two men deserve answers, and if anyone can bring them that justice, it's a court of law 
.
. And can we talk about how many people are getting killed in these attacks? 126 and counting... it's like, can't we just find a way to resolve conflicts peacefully? 
. I'm rooting for these families and hoping they get some closure soon 
. This whole thing needs to be investigated ASAP 
Those families deserve justice, plain and simple. 126 civilians already lost their lives in these attacks... when are we going to hold the government accountable for this? The fact that there's a lawsuit is a good start, but I hope it leads to real change. We need to know who was behind those orders and why they felt it was okay to kill people without due process 
. I just wish we could get some answers sooner rather than later 
.
. And if this lawsuit brings more attention to these extrajudicial killings, that's a good thing 
. We need more people speaking out about these kinds of actions and holding those in power accountable 
.
And these strikes are happening under the guise of "targeting suspected criminals", but we all know how that works out in practice. Suspected criminals get caught, or not, and sometimes they end up getting shot by a missile 
. It makes you wonder how many more people are suffering silently. I hope their case brings about real change and changes the way the US military operates 
️.