Heaton v. Islamic Republic of Iran
CourtDistrict Court, District of Columbia
Date FiledSeptember 30, 2026
DocketCivil Action No. 2019-3003
JudgeJudge Jia M. Cobb
StatusPublished
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Full Opinion
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
MARY B. HEATON, et al.,
Plaintiffs, Case No. 19-cv-3003 (JMC-MJS)
v.
ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF IRAN,
Defendant.
ORDER
Before the Court is the Report and Recommendation of Magistrate Judge Matthew J.
Sharbaugh, which was filed on September 15, 2026. Under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure
72(b)(2), a party may lodge written objections to such a Report and Recommendation within 14
days of being served. That time expired on September 29, 2026. Plaintiffs have indicated that they
have no objections, and the Court has received no objections from Defendant, who is in default.
Having carefully reviewed the findings and conclusions contained in Magistrate Judge
Sharbaugh’s Report and Recommendation, the Court will adopt in full the Report and
Recommendation as the findings and conclusions of this Court.
Upon consideration of the Report and Recommendation, the absence of objections, and the
entire record, it is hereby:
ORDERED that the Report and Recommendation is adopted by the Court; and it is further
ORDERED that the Group 1 Plaintiffs’ motion, ECF 51, is GRANTED IN PART and
DENIED IN PART, denying without prejudice the Plaintiffs’ claims that relate to Attacks 7, 8,
and 9; and it is further
ORDERED that the Group 2 Plaintiffs’ motion, ECF 62, is GRANTED IN PART; and it
1
is further
ORDERED that the Court awards: (1) compensatory damages at the amounts described in
the Report and Recommendation and in its appendix, a copy of which is reproduced with this
Order; (2) punitive damages against Iran at three times the value of the compensatory awards; and
(3) post-judgment interest consistent with 28 U.S.C. § 1961.
SO ORDERED.
This is a final appealable Order.
__________________________
JIA M. COBB
United States District Judge
Date: September 30, 2026
2
APPENDIX
Recommended Recommended Total
Post-Judgment
Plaintiff Attack Compensatory Punitive Recommended
Interest
Award Award Award
1. Mary Heaton Attack 1 – May 14, 2006 $5,000,000 $15,000,000 $20,000,000 28 U.S.C. § 1961(a)
Baghdad, Iraq
2. Lisa Brooks Attack 1 – May 14, 2006 $2,500,000 $7,500,000 $10,000,000 28 U.S.C. § 1961(a)
Baghdad, Iraq
3. Victoria Croft Attack 2 – January 5, 2010 $5,000,000 $15,000,000 $20,000,000 28 U.S.C. § 1961(a)
Balad, Iraq
4. Robin Messer Attack 2 – January 5, 2010 $2,500,000 $7,500,000 $10,000,000 28 U.S.C. § 1961(a)
Balad, Iraq
5. Tyler Croft Attack 2 – January 5, 2010 $2,500,000 $7,500,000 $10,000,000 28 U.S.C. § 1961(a)
Balad, Iraq
6. Melodie Hanson Attack 2 – January 5, 2010 $2,500,000 $7,500,000 $10,000,000 28 U.S.C. § 1961(a)
Balad, Iraq
7. Andrea Croft Attack 2 – January 5, 2010 $2,500,000 $7,500,000 $10,000,000 28 U.S.C. § 1961(a)
Balad, Iraq
8. Laurie West Attack 3 – March 11, 2008 $5,000,000 $15,000,000 $20,000,000 28 U.S.C. § 1961(a)
Kishkishkia, Iraq
9. Albert Dyk Attack 3 – March 11, 2008 $4,750,000 $14,250,000 $19,000,000 28 U.S.C. § 1961(a)
Kishkishkia, Iraq
10. Jon Kone Attack 4 – September 8, 2009 $6,000,000 $18,000,000 $24,000,000 28 U.S.C. § 1961(a)
Baghdad, Iraq
A-1
Recommended Recommended Total
Post-Judgment
Plaintiff Attack Compensatory Punitive Recommended
Interest
Award Award Award
11. Lisa Hundley Attack 5 – April 21, 2005 $1,000,000 $3,000,000 $4,000,000 28 U.S.C. § 1961(a)
(Representative of Ramadi, Iraq
Estate of Curtis Lee
Hundley)
12. Lisa Hundley Attack 5 – April 21, 2005 $8,000,000 $24,000,000 $32,000,000 28 U.S.C. § 1961(a)
Ramadi, Iraq
13. Robert Sabado Attack 5 – April 21, 2005 $6,000,000 $18,000,000 $24,000,000 28 U.S.C. § 1961(a)
Ramadi, Iraq
14. Michelle Sabado Attack 5 – April 21, 2005 $4,000,000 $12,000,000 $16,000,000 28 U.S.C. § 1961(a)
Ramadi, Iraq
15. Skyler Sabado Attack 5 – April 21, 2005 $2,500,000 $7,500,000 $10,000,000 28 U.S.C. § 1961(a)
Ramadi, Iraq
16. Crystal Sabado Attack 5 – April 21, 2005 $2,500,000 $7,500,000 $10,000,000 28 U.S.C. § 1961(a)
Ramadi, Iraq
17. Tiffany Sabado Attack 5 – April 21, 2005 $2,500,000 $7,500,000 $10,000,000 28 U.S.C. § 1961(a)
Ramadi, Iraq
18. Bradley Salisbury Attack 6 – January 18, 2007 $6,500,000 $19,500,000 $26,000,000 28 U.S.C. § 1961(a)
Baghdad, Iraq
19. Deidre Salisbury Attack 6 – January 18, 2007 $4,000,000 $12,000,000 $16,000,000 28 U.S.C. § 1961(a)
Baghdad, Iraq
20. Robin Bogacz Attack 6 – January 18, 2007 $2,500,000 $7,500,000 $10,000,000 28 U.S.C. § 1961(a)
Baghdad, Iraq
21. Amy Crandall Attack 6 – January 18, 2007 $1,250,000 $3,750,000 $5,000,000 28 U.S.C. § 1961(a)
Baghdad, Iraq
A-2
Recommended Recommended Total
Post-Judgment
Plaintiff Attack Compensatory Punitive Recommended
Interest
Award Award Award
22. Gretchen Miller Attack 7 – May 21, 2004 ~ ~ ~ ~
Iskandariyah, Iraq
23. William Neff Attack 8 – September 19, 2007 ~ ~ ~ ~
Baghdad, Iraq
24. Nancy Neff Attack 8 – September 19, 2007 ~ ~ ~ ~
Baghdad, Iraq
25. Shannon Neff Attack 8 – September 19, 2007 ~ ~ ~ ~
Baghdad, Iraq
26. Gary Hubbell Attack 8 – September 19, 2007 ~ ~ ~ ~
Baghdad, Iraq
27. David Stelmat, Sr. Attack 10 – March 22, 2008 $5,000,000 $15,000,000 $20,000,000 28 U.S.C. § 1961(a)
Husseiniyah, Iraq
28. Carisa Girdwood Attack 10 – March 22, 2008 $2,500,000 $7,500,000 $10,000,000 28 U.S.C. § 1961(a)
Husseiniyah, Iraq
29. Rebecca McGraw Attack 10 – March 22, 2008 $2,500,000 $7,500,000 $10,000,000 28 U.S.C. § 1961(a)
Husseiniyah, Iraq
30. Lisa Ruiz Attack 10 – March 22, 2008 $5,000,000 $15,000,000 $20,000,000 28 U.S.C. § 1961(a)
Husseiniyah, Iraq
31. Manuel Ruiz, Sr. Attack 11 – February 7, 2007 $5,000,000 $15,000,000 $20,000,000 28 U.S.C. § 1961(a)
Karmah, Iraq
32. Joshua Ruiz Attack 11 – February 7, 2007 $2,500,000 $7,500,000 $10,000,000 28 U.S.C. § 1961(a)
Karmah, Iraq
33. Jacobo Ruiz Attack 11 – February 7, 2007 $2,500,000 $7,500,000 $10,000,000 28 U.S.C. § 1961(a)
Karmah, Iraq
A-3
Recommended Recommended Total
Post-Judgment
Plaintiff Attack Compensatory Punitive Recommended
Interest
Award Award Award
34. Matthew Ashmead Attack 12 – December 10, 2006 $7,000,000 $21,000,000 $28,000,000 28 U.S.C. § 1961(a)
Sadr City, Iraq
35. Brad Lee Jones Attack 13 – May 3, 2007 $6,250,000 $18,750,000 $25,000,000 28 U.S.C. § 1961(a)
Baghdad, Iraq
36. Dale Fair Attack 14 – April 6, 2008 $7,000,000 $21,000,000 $28,000,000 28 U.S.C. § 1961(a)
Baghdad, Iraq
37. Dana Fair Attack 14 – April 6, 2008 $2,500,000 $7,500,000 $10,000,000 28 U.S.C. § 1961(a)
Baghdad, Iraq
38. Zachary C. Martinez Attack 15 – September 8, 2009 $7,000,000 $21,000,000 $28,000,000 28 U.S.C. § 1961(a)
Tikrit, Iraq
39. Kelly Hollidy Attack 16 – August 4, 2007 $5,000,000 $15,000,000 $20,000,000 28 U.S.C. § 1961(a)
Hawr Rajab, Iraq
40. John Holliday, Jr. Attack 16 – August 4, 2007 $5,000,000 $15,000,000 $20,000,000 28 U.S.C. § 1961(a)
Hawr Rajab, Iraq
41. John Holliday, III Attack 16 – August 4, 2007 $2,500,000 $7,500,000 $10,000,000 28 U.S.C. § 1961(a)
Hawr Rajab, Iraq
42. Joshua Holliday Attack 16 – August 4, 2007 $2,500,000 $7,500,000 $10,000,000 28 U.S.C. § 1961(a)
Hawr Rajab, Iraq
43. Jeremiah Holliday Attack 16 – August 4, 2007 $2,500,000 $7,500,000 $10,000,000 28 U.S.C. § 1961(a)
Hawr Rajab, Iraq
44. Jada Holliday Attack 16 – August 4, 2007 $2,500,000 $7,500,000 $10,000,000 28 U.S.C. § 1961(a)
Hawr Rajab, Iraq
45. Josiah Holliday Attack 16 – August 4, 2007 $2,500,000 $7,500,000 $10,000,000 28 U.S.C. § 1961(a)
Hawr Rajab, Iraq
A-4
Recommended Recommended Total
Post-Judgment
Plaintiff Attack Compensatory Punitive Recommended
Interest
Award Award Award
46. Justus Holliday Attack 16 – August 4, 2007 $2,500,000 $7,500,000 $10,000,000 28 U.S.C. § 1961(a)
Hawr Rajab, Iraq
47. Jamin Holliday Attack 16 – August 4, 2007 $2,500,000 $7,500,000 $10,000,000 28 U.S.C. § 1961(a)
Hawr Rajab, Iraq
48. David C. Rogers, III Attack 17 – June 6, 2011 $7,000,000 $21,000,000 $28,000,000 28 U.S.C. § 1961(a)
Baghdad, Iraq
49. Larry Clark Attack 18 – May 6, 2007 $7,000,000 $21,000,000 $28,000,000 28 U.S.C. § 1961(a)
Baqubah, Iraq
A-5