Posted on 05/10/2008 8:42:34 AM PDT by RedRover
There's still much ahead. The trials of LtCol Chessani, SSgt Wuterich, and Lt Graryson are expected to commence late this spring through the summer. The Fallujah trials may commence by late summer or early fall. In the Iskandariyah case, the effort to secure clemency for Sgt Evan Vela is still ongoing.
My thanks to all members of the Haditha Marine Ping List and to everyone here at Free Republic who takes part in our threads. God bless!
Excellent!
Excellent letter of thanks, Red and a well deserved one.
What a lovely letter!
Great letter of thanks, Red. Thanks for all that you do to keep freepers informed on these cases.
The costs (not including time) in prosecuting legal cases would break almost any soldier or his/her family. Yet, the military prosecutors and their costs come out of the military budget.
Why can’t there be a fund in that same military budget that would afford the charged soldier to retain independent competent legal assistance? Our soldiers deserve to go into a court battle armed and funded as well as the ‘enemy.’
In the Army, anyway, there is. The Trial Defense Service is separately funded and supervised from the (prosecuting) Trial Counsels.
There’s another aspect that I think is important as well. These cases go best when they’re in the daylight. The cases that haven’t gone as well have been mostly held out of the public view.
Maybe eyes on rhe proceedings helps keep everyone honest. That’s at least how it seems.
Does that fund allow the charged soldier to retain and pay his/her own counsel, independent completely of the military ? Or is it the equivalent of the Public Defenders Offices in civilian criminal courts, where you get an attorney appointed for you from a pool ?
If my soldier were charged, I’d want someone completely free of any overriding military influence, as in ... I’d want my soldier’s attorney(s) to be free to represent him/her without any thought of the attorney’s future regarding referrals or promotions, or any other benefit that could be offered or denied my soldier’s attorney(s).
Great point, I couldn’t agree more. Sunlight has a way of keeping people honest and in these specific cases has helped counter the undue command influence factor, IMO.
Atta boys, incoming!. You should frame that! (no pun intended!)
Wonderful letter, Red!
Thanks for posting it!
Yes, Red, thanks for all your help. Even though Evan got a 10 year sentence, it is far better than life in prison, or the 18 year plea deal. The plea bargain would have taken away any chance for an Appeal. Some of you know something about my own circumstances, and in a way my fighting for Evan helps me deal with that. God Bless you Redrover, and all the people (YOU Lily) who have helped us, and are still helping us.
:)
Great letter!! Thanks for posting it!!
Well done, Red. My thanks to you and the rest of “Red’s Raiders” for keeping us updated.
Fabulous letter, Red! Congratulations!
You know how much we love ya here in PA!
:)
“There’s another aspect that I think is important as well. These cases go best when they’re in the daylight. The cases that haven’t gone as well have been mostly held out of the public view.
Maybe eyes on rhe proceedings helps keep everyone honest. That’s at least how it seems.”
The bright light shining on such cases does act as a good disinfectant. Also, it helps keep the cockroaches from crawling all over everything.
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