Posted on 09/09/2007 2:55:08 PM PDT by RedRover
We are the proud parents of an Army Ranger. We are Curtis G. Carnahan and Anna Vela of St. Anthony, Idaho. Our son, Evan, has been wrongly accused of the murder of a military-age Iraqi male in Iraq.
Of our four children, two serve in the US Armed Forces. Evan is in the Army, and Cory is an active six-year veteran in the Navy.
Evan has served for three years and is currently a Sergeant. He is married with a family. Evan and his wife, Alyssa have two children, a son, Jarom, who is four years old, and a daughter, Blair, who is 5 months old. His unit, the 1st Battalion, 501st Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade (Airborne), 25th Infantry Division, based at Fort Richardson, Alaska, has served tough assignments in Iraq.
On or about June 23rd of 2007, our son, Sergeant Evan Vela, was engaged in combat action in Iskandariyah, one of the most dangerous areas in Iraq known as the “Triangle of Death.” Evan was a member of a sniper scout squad that operated for nearly nine continuous months behind enemy lines.
Evan has been charged with one count of premeditated murder of a military-age Iraqi male, planting weapons, false official statement, and obstruction of justice. The charges against Evan carry the possibility of confinement for life without parole.
These charges are the result of our son being put into an impossible and untenable situation in Iraq. Evan is being held in a Field Confinement Facility in Kuwait, and the Army is trying to rush him to trial in Baghdad. The Army intends to hold Evan’s trial in Iraq, even if his unit redeploys to Alaska before the trial is conducted.
We know and believe in our son. He is no murderer. For the last year, Evan has been fighting for our country and our way of life. Evan has served our country with honor, pride and distinction. Evan has proven his bravery by volunteering for the Army, becoming a paratrooper, a Ranger, an expert infantryman, and for service in Iraq.
Our son is a patriot and a hero. Evan needs help.
Our son is represented by the law firm of Gary Myers, James Culp, and Associates. Gary Myers is a former JAG Officer, and James Culp is a former JAG Officer, paratrooper and infantry sergeant. Mr. Myers and Mr. Culp only practice military law, and do so worldwide.
Mr. Myers and Mr. Culp have extended themselves greatly for our family, and are doing everything possible in defense of Evan. Though they are attempting to get Evan’s trial moved to the United States, Mr. Culp is willing to put himself in harm’s way by flying into Baghdad where the hearings are currently scheduled to be held.
We are proud Americans. We fly our country’s flag with pride at our home. We are a hard working, blue-collar family who has always believed that we could take care of our own problems, as well as those of our children. Yet in this instance, our family has exhausted all of our resources.
We have mortgaged our home, drained our savings accounts, and gotten as much help from family and friends as possible. We have given our children and our financial security to this war. What lies ahead is beyond the scope of our abilities. We have nothing more to give and desperately need your help.
We have established a trust fund for Evan. Mr. William R. Forsberg, Attorney at Law, Rexburg, Idaho has set up the fund, and Mr. Brad Smith, CPA, also of Rexburg is the fund’s Trustee.
We are appealing to our fellow Americans to help our son by contributing to the Sergeant Evan Vela Defense Fund. Your contributions can be made in person at any Key Bank office across the country, by Paypal at Sgt. Evan Vela Defense Fund or by mail at:
Evan Vela Defense Fund
Key Bank
C/O Ann Marie Chaffin
1625 Northgate Mile
Idaho Falls, ID 83401
For more information go to: Sgt. Evan Vela Defense Fund.
For more information about Gary Myers, James Culp & Associates click at the link.
Thank you.
May God bless America and our troops,
Curtis G. Carnahan & Anna Vela
Related threads: Parents say (Army) son rejects plea deal in Iraq killings, is innocent and Grassroots effort gets renowned defense team onboard in Iskandariyah case.
This is a grassroots effort to spread the word about Sgt Vela's case. Please ping any Idaho or Ranger Freepers you know or anyone else who might take an interest.
Thank you.
Legal problems. You can fight the murder charge on the basis that the service member thought he was being attacked by the Iraqi male. Just that is a hard case for gmvt to prove.
Problem is, it is easier to prove the planting of a weapon charge. He did or he didn’t. There is no “self defense” or “thought he was an enemy” defense to the planting a weapon charge.
Once they establish the planting a weapon charge, if they do, then it makes the defense against the murder charge much more difficult, because it is harder to establish that you thought it was a good kill if you thought you had to plant a weapon, etc.
The false official statement and OJ charges are not serious, and probably simply lesser included offenses, but the planting the weapon charge, if sustained, is a problem for what it implies downline
I don’t understand why they haven’t all been pulled home and put in jail. That’s what the enemy wants, inside AND outside this country.
You are correct. This is the key charge. If proven, it will undercut Sgt. Vela's defense of justified homicide.
Prayers that justice prevails.
BUMP! for assistance for Sgt. Vela and his family.
Why would any trials for premeditated murder be held in Baghdad? This is pretty serious. I still cannot understand why more resources aren’t afforded each military person accused of a crime, especially one that holds such a high penalty. Prayers for a family in need.
Most important point, as usual, Girl. It is unfathomable that the defense is required to fly in. Unfreakenbelievable.
Oh, silly me. He’s given a defense attorney on site. I’m sure that’s sufficient. I’ll put the ol’ “/sarc” tag up, just in case anyone thinks I might be remotely serious.
I’ve totally given up on this sorry ass Administration. Persecution of servicemen in a PC War is the rule of the day. The Terorists must be laughing out loud at our sheer stupidity.
My nephew just got back from Iraq. He’s a mature Staff Sergeant about to be promoted to E-7 and he says the “rules” are a joke.
He also says that the Muzzies, even the ones ostensibly on our side, are totally unsuited for Democracy and is also of the opinion that if we defeat Al Qaida we should make a pretty quick exit. Otherwise the non Al Quadi Insurgents helping us now will joyfully turn on us again in order to drive us “Infidels” from their “sacred” Muzzie soil.
Back in the 20s, a junior associate from a Wall Street firm won a case in California.
He send a telegram to the Senior Partner. It said
“Justice Has Prevailed!” (signed) William Jones
The Senior Partner immediately wired back:
“Jones; Do not wait. File appeal today!
Rover, keep me pinged on this. I seem to have missed it up till now.
You got it.
Thanks.
Wonder what blabber mouths from the dirty world of politics/LMSM will try to prove this Soldier guilty before the facts come out.
My sentiments exactly.
Thanks for the ping, Red; seems I missed this one on the first go-round.
Jeff, I am taking the liberty of pinging you for this; seems one of your State’s families is getting shafted by our socialists in the DoD. From what I’ve learned following the Haditha cases, our Military has no problem throwing our warriors under the bus for political expediency. Anything you can do to ping others and help Sgt. Vela get a just and fair hearing would be appreciated; thank you.
This is an unusual charge. American troops are not issued soviet-style AK47 rifles, the kind used by insurgents. One has to come up with a source of AK47s for these soldiers who've been charged.
Did they carry around AK47s just for the purpose of planting them? If so, then they were keeping battlefield contraband which is against regs. Carrying them around is unlikely because they'd be punished for it.
The logical conclusion is that these weapons most likely came from the battlefield where the dead men were found.
It's also highly likely that the soldiers who were charged with "planting" weapons were simply assigning to the deceased Iraqis, the weapon they most likely had been using in the fight with the Americans. Given that American troops are debriefed after each operation and they are asked to go over all the details of the battle, then it is likely that they were reconstructing the scene of the fight by putting all the pieces of it together so they could report it back to their unit.
Did they carry around AK47s just for the purpose of planting them?
Ever hear the word classified in an operation, maybe there is some reason the military wants to keep this in iraq.
The lawyers are trying hard to get the article 32 reinstated.
My bro is flying to Denver to get his passport, can anybody guess where he gets to go?
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