Families of Men Killed In Boat Strikes File Wrongful Death Suit Against US

The families of two Trinidadian men killed in US airstrikes against alleged drug boats are suing the US for wrongful death.

The Details: Chad Joseph and Rishi Samaroo were among six men killed on Oct. 14 in strikes carried out by the US off the coast of Venezuela. According to the families, both men did fishing and farm work in Venezuela, and their boat was struck while they were returning to Trinidad and Tobago. The families are suing for compensatory and punitive damages from the US government, saying the two were murdered in an "unprecedented and manifestly unlawful" military campaign that's carried out "intentional killings" without legal justification. They are being represented by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), the Center for Constitutional Rights, Jonathan Hafetz of Seton Hall Law School and the ACLU of Massachusetts. 

For Context: Since September, the US has struck 36 alleged drug boats in the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific during its operations targeting "narco-terrorists" that are bringing drugs to the US. Over 100 people have been killed in these strikes. The lawsuit was filed under the Death on the High Seas Act, which allows family members and foreign citizens to sue the US for wrongful deaths occurring at sea. It's the first lawsuit filed against the Trump administration over the strikes.

How the Media Covered It: CNN (Lean Left bias) emphasized the experience of Joseph's family, detailing his last phone call home to his wife. It noted ongoing legal battles with the Trump administration over the strikes and the "little evidence" it has presented. Politico (Lean Left) noted the strikes have caused division between Republicans and Democrats. It also emphasized the men's families, saying Samaroo was on the way home to take care of his sick mother. It quoted an ACLU leader calling Samaroo a "hardworking man who paid his debt to society." Reuters (Center) included previous defense from the Trump administration that its strikes comply with international rules and said the case could "provide an avenue" for courts to assess if the Oct. 14 strike was legal. Outlets on the Right, including Fox News (Right), Townhall (Right) and Breitbart (Right) generally reported the lawsuit directly without adding additional commentary. The National Desk (Right) cited the lawsuit saying the strikes were unlawful and that both men were civilians who posed no "concrete, specific and imminent threat." It also included arguments from both the ACLU and the Trump administration over the strikes. Breitbart also said the Trump administration hasn't yet provided evidence supporting the strikes.

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