Raymond Davis, a CIA contractor in Pakistan has been freed from murder charges today, March 16, 2011, after the payment of “blood money” to the families. About 360,000 bloggers have jumped on the news wagon for this story.
The Pakistani courts formally charged Raymond with murder and then arranged the payment of diyat (blood money) to the families to drop the charges, as is allowable according to Sharia law in Pakistan.
The amount of the blood money is being reported by various blogs as between $700,000 to nearly $1.2 million to each family. After the money was paid, the necessary pardon papers were signed and Raymond Davis was immediately put on an airplane provided by the United States Air Force for the flight back home.
The United States Embassy in Lahore, Pakistan issued an apology to the families of the men who were killed. The embassy also thanked the families for their display of generosity in pardoning Raymond Davis.
Some bloggers said the Embassy statement did not mention and money.
It is being reported that Raymond was attacked by two men on a motorcycle and he feared they were going to kill him, so he shot them with a firearm. Raymond has claimed self-defense in the shooting.
Some bloggers are saying Raymond had diplomatic immunity anyway and should not have been held on charges.
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