After months of fighting and countless hours briefing to the Federal District
Judge in the Southern District of Texas, the Kelly Law Firm is pleased to
announce that Judge Keith Ellison will allow Jamie Leigh Jones' rape and
false imprisonment case to be heard by a jury. This is the first time that the
arbitration provision of Defense Contractor, Halliburton, has been defeated in
the courts.
Jamie first went public on the ABS News program, 20/20. She has since
appeared at Congressional Hearings, and on numerous television, radio and
print media sources, speaking out against the sexual abuses of this corporate
giant.
Judge in the Southern District of Texas, the Kelly Law Firm is pleased to
announce that Judge Keith Ellison will allow Jamie Leigh Jones' rape and
false imprisonment case to be heard by a jury. This is the first time that the
arbitration provision of Defense Contractor, Halliburton, has been defeated in
the courts.
Jamie first went public on the ABS News program, 20/20. She has since
appeared at Congressional Hearings, and on numerous television, radio and
print media sources, speaking out against the sexual abuses of this corporate
giant.
From ABC News:
| Attorneys * Counselors * Trial Lawyers |
| Arbitration Provision Defeated by Kelly Law Firm!! |
Halliburton Rape Claim Goes to Court
Judge Orders That Woman's Case Should
Go to Trial, Not Arbitration
By MADDY SAUER
May 12, 2008
Jamie Leigh Jones
A Houston woman who says she was gang-raped by co-workers at a Halliburton/KBR
camp in Baghdad won a major court battle last week when a Texas judge ordered that
she can bring her case to court instead of forcing her into secretive arbitration
proceedings with Halliburton and KBR.
"We are ecstatic that [District Judge Keith Ellison] had the courage to uphold justice in
this case," Jamie Leigh Jones' attorney Todd Kelly said after the decision.
KBR said late Monday that they may appeal the judge's decision. "KBR will review the
judge's opinion and will continue to vigorously defend itself which may include an
appeal," the company said in a statement to ABCNews.com.
Jones says that after she was raped by multiple men at a KBR camp in the Green Zone,
the company put her under guard in a shipping container with a bed and warned her that
if she left Iraq for medical treatment, she'd be out of a job.
Jones told ABCNews.com that she hopes other sexual abuse claims will also now be able
to go before a jury rather than into arbitration. "I am hopeful that the judge's decision
will open the door for other victims to seek justice against military contractors who fail to
protect their employees from sexual abuse," Jones told ABCNews.com.
Judge Orders That Woman's Case Should
Go to Trial, Not Arbitration
By MADDY SAUER
May 12, 2008
Jamie Leigh Jones
A Houston woman who says she was gang-raped by co-workers at a Halliburton/KBR
camp in Baghdad won a major court battle last week when a Texas judge ordered that
she can bring her case to court instead of forcing her into secretive arbitration
proceedings with Halliburton and KBR.
"We are ecstatic that [District Judge Keith Ellison] had the courage to uphold justice in
this case," Jamie Leigh Jones' attorney Todd Kelly said after the decision.
KBR said late Monday that they may appeal the judge's decision. "KBR will review the
judge's opinion and will continue to vigorously defend itself which may include an
appeal," the company said in a statement to ABCNews.com.
Jones says that after she was raped by multiple men at a KBR camp in the Green Zone,
the company put her under guard in a shipping container with a bed and warned her that
if she left Iraq for medical treatment, she'd be out of a job.
Jones told ABCNews.com that she hopes other sexual abuse claims will also now be able
to go before a jury rather than into arbitration. "I am hopeful that the judge's decision
will open the door for other victims to seek justice against military contractors who fail to
protect their employees from sexual abuse," Jones told ABCNews.com.
Poe/Slaughter Amendment Protects Civilian Contractors Working
Overseas
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Requires Defense Contractors to Report Violent Crimes
WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Ted Poe (TX-02) and Congresswoman Louise
Slaughter (NY-28) offered an amendment to the Defense Appropriations Bill requiring
defense contractors supporting the missions in Iraq and Afghanistan to report violent
crimes committed against or by contracted employees to the Department of Defense
and that the information be made public. Congress overwhelmingly approved this
amendment by voice vote.
"This is one step in the right direction in bringing justice to victims," said Poe. "It is
important that Americans working overseas know that the long arm of the law doesn't
stop at our borders. The sexual assault case of Jamie Leigh Jones brought to light
serious concerns over how our government and US contractors handle criminal activity
in Iraq and Afghanistan. I applaud this Congress for recognizing this is not a political
issue and working across party lines to overwhelmingly support this important
amendment."
Slaughter/Poe Amendment to H.R. 5658, The Defense Appropriations Bill:
* Secretary of Defense shall develop requirements relating to covered offenses
allegedly perpetrated by or against contractor personnel
* Creates a requirement for defense contractors to provide for victim and witness
safety, medical assistance, and psychological assistance in the case of a covered offense
* Applies to all current and future government contractors
Congressman Poe has been an outspoken advocate for justice on behalf of Jamie Leigh
Jones. Poe was instrumental in facilitating the return of Ms. Jones after receiving a call
from her father in July 2005. Congressman Poe contacted the State Department's
Department of Overseas Citizen Services, which then dispatched agents from the U.S.
Embassy in Baghdad to rescue her.
Congressman Poe is the founder and Co-Chair of the Congressional Victim's Rights
Caucus. As a former criminal court judge and prosecutor for over 30 years in Houston,
Texas, Poe is recognized nationally for his creative sentencing of criminals and as a
dedicated advocate for victims and children.
© 2008 Ourtribune.com
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| THE KELLY LAW FIRM, P.C. |
| Call for a FREE case evaluation: (713) 255-2055 |
Attorneys for contractor who says she was raped in Iraq argue her case
should go to court
The Associated Press
March 06, 2008
HOUSTON - A woman who says co-workers raped her while she was a
contractor in Iraq should have her case tried in court, not settled in private
arbitration, her lawyer told a federal judge Wednesday.
In a federal lawsuit, Jamie Leigh Jones says she was drugged, raped and held
against her will in a storage locker while working for KBR Inc., then a
subsidiary of Halliburton Co., in 2005.
As part of her employment, Jones agreed to settle claims against the company
in arbitration. But she never imagined such claims would include being
imprisoned in a storage locker, said one of her attorneys, L. Todd Kelly.
Attorneys for Halliburton and KBR argued that the contract Jones signed
binds her to settle all claims — including claims of sexual assault — against
her former employer through arbitration.
Halliburton attorney W. Carl Jordan said that because the purported attack is
said to have happened in Halliburton-provided barracks, it ties any claims
Jones makes to her employment.
Attorneys for Halliburton, KBR and other subsidiaries that have been sued
have disputed Jones' allegations. KBR split from Halliburton last year.
U.S. District Judge Keith Ellison is expected to rule at a later date.
Jones sued in May, saying she was raped by co-workers at Camp Hope,
Baghdad, in 2005.
The Associated Press usually does not identify people who say they have
been sexually assaulted, but Jones' face and name have been broadcast in
media reports and on her own Web site.
According to the lawsuit, Jones endured harassment by some of the men
living in her barracks and was drugged and raped on July 28, 2005. Her
attackers were firefighters for Halliburton and KBR, the suit alleges.Jones said
she was kept in a shipping container for a day so she wouldn't report the
assault.
Jordan rebutted Jones' claim that she was held against her will, saying she
received medical care and was able to call her family."Ms. Jones has changed
her account several times," Jordan said.
Kelly argued that the attack was not related to Jones' employment and that
she was not "a 24-hour employee."
"If she had been on call or required to work out of her living space, then she
could be seen to be in her work area," he said.
In January, a judge in a similar lawsuit, filed in federal court in Houston by
another female contract worker, ruled the case should be settled through
arbitration.
In December, Jones detailed her allegations to a congressional subcommittee.
Several members of Congress have criticized the Justice, State and Defense
departments for the way the case was handled. Congress has pressured the
Bush administration to force U.S. contractors in Iraq to offer better their
employees better protection from crimes.
Paul Bresson, a spokesman for the Justice Department, said Wednesday that
his agency is investigating Jones' case but declined to comment further.
should go to court
The Associated Press
March 06, 2008
HOUSTON - A woman who says co-workers raped her while she was a
contractor in Iraq should have her case tried in court, not settled in private
arbitration, her lawyer told a federal judge Wednesday.
In a federal lawsuit, Jamie Leigh Jones says she was drugged, raped and held
against her will in a storage locker while working for KBR Inc., then a
subsidiary of Halliburton Co., in 2005.
As part of her employment, Jones agreed to settle claims against the company
in arbitration. But she never imagined such claims would include being
imprisoned in a storage locker, said one of her attorneys, L. Todd Kelly.
Attorneys for Halliburton and KBR argued that the contract Jones signed
binds her to settle all claims — including claims of sexual assault — against
her former employer through arbitration.
Halliburton attorney W. Carl Jordan said that because the purported attack is
said to have happened in Halliburton-provided barracks, it ties any claims
Jones makes to her employment.
Attorneys for Halliburton, KBR and other subsidiaries that have been sued
have disputed Jones' allegations. KBR split from Halliburton last year.
U.S. District Judge Keith Ellison is expected to rule at a later date.
Jones sued in May, saying she was raped by co-workers at Camp Hope,
Baghdad, in 2005.
The Associated Press usually does not identify people who say they have
been sexually assaulted, but Jones' face and name have been broadcast in
media reports and on her own Web site.
According to the lawsuit, Jones endured harassment by some of the men
living in her barracks and was drugged and raped on July 28, 2005. Her
attackers were firefighters for Halliburton and KBR, the suit alleges.Jones said
she was kept in a shipping container for a day so she wouldn't report the
assault.
Jordan rebutted Jones' claim that she was held against her will, saying she
received medical care and was able to call her family."Ms. Jones has changed
her account several times," Jordan said.
Kelly argued that the attack was not related to Jones' employment and that
she was not "a 24-hour employee."
"If she had been on call or required to work out of her living space, then she
could be seen to be in her work area," he said.
In January, a judge in a similar lawsuit, filed in federal court in Houston by
another female contract worker, ruled the case should be settled through
arbitration.
In December, Jones detailed her allegations to a congressional subcommittee.
Several members of Congress have criticized the Justice, State and Defense
departments for the way the case was handled. Congress has pressured the
Bush administration to force U.S. contractors in Iraq to offer better their
employees better protection from crimes.
Paul Bresson, a spokesman for the Justice Department, said Wednesday that
his agency is investigating Jones' case but declined to comment further.
