Crapo and Simpson Petition President for Vela Pardon

NBC News Channel 6 (KPVI) ^ | Posted: Dec 4, 2008 03:12 PM | KPVI Staff

[bigheadfred]

Senator Mike Crapo and Congressman Mike Simpson have taken their support of a local soldier to the next level. They're asking President Bush to pardon Sgt. Evan Vela. Vela was convicted in a general court martial in February for killing an unarmed Iraqi civilian. Crapo and Simpson maintain Vela was following the order of a superior during the incident.

In a news release issued Thursday Senator Crapo wrote, "The safety and success of our men and women in uniform would be seriously jeopardized if every service member was subjected to the same scrutiny for their actions during combat as in Sgt. Vela's case." Crapo added, "It is difficult to remain confident that local Iraqi influence did not affect the outcome of this case to Sgt. Vela's detriment." Crapo made those statements since Vela's case was held in Iraq while similar charges brought against other servicemen were tried in the states.

In the same news release Congressman Simpson wrote, "I've been to Iraq twice in the last four years and I know our servicemen face difficult and often confusing choices everyday on the battlefield. I am concerned that Sgt. Vela is shouldering the blame and playing the role of scapegoat for following orders throughout a series of tragic events that occurred during a time of war."

Vela was sentenced to ten years in the Fort Leavenworth prison. Both Simpson and Crapo also wrote letters asking for clemency during Vela's sentencing.

[bigheadfred]

There is a drive on for letters asking to pardon Sgt. Evan Vela. Freepmail me for details.

Link to Sen. Mike Crapo's site

Sen. Mike Crapo

Pardon Evan Vela

[bigheadfred]

Story link

There is also a video.

My bro has been really pushing this hard locally. He also has a letter from the former Commissioner of Probation and Parole (Idaho)

[jazusamo]

Thanks for the ping, Fred. I’m praying this happens and also that many will send letters.

[lilycicero]

I can’t think of a better Christmas gift.

[Girlene]

Good for these Congressmen! Sounds like they understand the case pretty well. Praying that President Bush will find it in his heart to grant this pardon.

[bigheadfred]

I just wanted to show you people that some members of Congress are worthy. But others, like MURTHA, aren’t worth the paper they are printed on.

[mlocher]

Thanks for the note. I continue to pray for Evan.

[SunkenCiv]

thanks bigheadfred.

[RedRover]

Pinging the Haditha Marine list to fred's thread.

[xzins]

Do the letters asking pardon for Evan go to the senators or to the president?

[beaversmom]

Ha, ha—love the Black Adder. At first I thought O.J. was already petitioning.

[ticked]

BUMP

[Marine_Uncle]

"I can’t think of a better Christmas gift."
I'll second that motion.

[RedRover]

Glad you like it!

[bigheadfred]

Send the letters here. They will be copied and one packet will be sent to President Bush’s Chief of Staff. The original letters will be hand-delivered to The President.

Directions for the letter:

· Address your letter President Bush
· Please state in your letter that it is in reference to Sgt. Evan Vela, who is Prisoner Reg No. 84486 confined at the Army Disciplinary Barracks at Ft. Leavenworth, Kansas.
· State what you think of Evan’s situation, how you may know him and/or heard of his story.
· Request to Pardon Evan. Explain your feelings on why Evan should be pardoned.

· Please add anything you would like to the letter.

Please send the letters to:

Curtis G. Carnahan
PO Box 167
Parker, ID 83438

God Bless you and Thank you for your time to stand behind one of our soldiers!

**** From the Family of Evan Vela Carnahan

Curt has letters from Senator Crapo and Congressman Simpson.

He is in contact with the person who will give them to the President.

This is a link to a recent radio interview Curt did. It is ,IMO, great.

http://www.eastidahonews.com/nls/audio/podcasts/NLSTuesday12022008.mp3

[xzins]

Are we interested only in a pardon or is it ok to ask for a reprieve or a pardon?

[bigheadfred]

I think it would be fine to also ask for a commutation or anything we can get.

[lilycicero]

*PING*

[4woodenboats]

I'm trying to find the thread where the Iraqi she-snake made the qoute about "someone is going to get punished today" and also where Lynch refused to let Evan go to Germany for PTSD testing, and what was Lynch's rank at the time.

I need it asap, didn't get to it during the holidays (sorry). Will send you a copy before mailing.

I hope everyone enjoyed the holidays - pretty laid back here, loads of snow (for western Washington).

Happy New Year

Bruce

[Girlene]

4wb, From a Times article in this FR thread, Murder or Exhaustion in Iraq? Sgt. Evan Vela Court Martial, the "she-snake" info.

....."Iraq's Minister of Human Rights, Wijdan Mikhail Salim, however, does not see the case as either a justified kill or a horrific accident by an exhaustion-impaired soldier. She was attending today's proceedings, she told TIME, because, "I want to be sure that any American soldier who wrongs an Iraqi will go on trial. [Vela] killed an Iraqi man, an unarmed man. He must be punished.""........