Posted on 09/28/2007 4:56:37 AM PDT by Paige
BAGHDAD - A military panel Friday acquitted U.S. Army Spc. Jorge G. Sandoval on charges he killed two unarmed Iraqis, but it convicted him of planting evidence on one of the men in attempt to cover up the shooting. Sandoval, 22, of Laredo, Texas, had faced five charges in the April and May deaths of two unidentified men. He was found not guilty of the two murder charges, but the panel decided he had placed a detonation wire on one of the bodies to make it look as if the man was an insurgent.
(Excerpt) Read more at newsday.com ...
” On May 11, Flores testified that Vela, under orders from Hensley, executed an Iraqi national who had discovered his sniper hideout. After the man was shot with a 9 mm handgun, Flores said, Hensley grabbed an AK-47 assault rifle and laid it across the Iraqi’s body.”
OK..cut to the chase..stop after ‘who had discovered his sniper hideout’....forget the rest...If Vela had not killed this iraqi, the intruder could have run away and informed the insurgents who could then have come back and killed our sniper and maybe some of the men with him. Vela is a hero-he saved lives by doing what he did...and he is on trial ??...give me a break!..
What we need now is a huge law group or organization to take up the good fight and defend these guys. Parents should not have to hire their own lawyers to defend their kids...Try contacting the Thomas More Law Group- they have defended several military guys there already..For that matter, the US Justice Dept should be providing attorneys to assist the JAG officers for these military guys since they are also government employees!...that would amount to a national military public defender’s office...if they can be tried so easily then they should have access to the best US attorneys working for the same US Govt.....unbelievable
“Now this fellow has been convicted of planting such on one of his targets... I am confused. Somewhere - there is either a dead fish, or reporting has been rather screwed up (or both).”
—
The dead fish is in the lead in the Dimocrat race for the Presidency.
Do you know that when the Iraqis appeared in court they are not obliged to take an oath before testifying? The logic behind this, you ask? According to the judge, “muslims don’t lie”
I agree. What has happened to our legal system? And our JAG corps?
I'm not surprised to see leftwing lawyers and judges in the system, but I am surprised to see them as JAGs. Is JAG officer now just a stepping stone to a lucrative liberal legal career? When did this happen?
You know, if someone were shooting at me or even just threatening me in a war zone, I don’t think I’d have the inclination to stop and ask for his shoe size, his mother’s maiden name, and an essay on “How I spent my last jihad.”
We are asking young kids to make complex judgement calls in an atmosphere of high tension and stress. Sometimes they might even make the wrong call. We can’t punish them for honest mistakes. Good grief, how many of us have never made a mistake on the job? In particular, how many lawyers and judges have never made an error? They’re not even being shot at. We can’t expect our troops to do their job if we put them in straightjackets.
There is a reason that they say “War is hell.” I think we ought to minimize that for the good guys (which last time I checked with anyone but the MSM was our guys) and maximize it for the bad guys.
Im am sick of these baseless charges! Bush should fire all JAGs RIGHT NOW!
Thanks for the ping, freema. I’m glad for some semblance of justice here. It’s just a shame the lawyers are trying to micromanage this war from the comfort of their offices in DC. As William Shakespeare said 500 years ago, “First, let’s kill all the lawyers.”
Ping.
They were before a Military Panel.
I had a strong feelling this soldier would be cleared of any false charges.
I don't know the answer to that. I can tell you that my mercifully short direct experience with JAG officers in regards to detainee processing was not good. They were rude, treated us like we were idiots, and that we had better treat them well since they had to get up earlier than usual to help out (even though I'd been up since 2300 the night prior to conduct the raid that nabbed the detainees).
The most important thing to remember, as far as the ridiculous level of prosecutorial zeal against the troops--JAG officers are military personnel as well. That buck stops with the Commander-in-Chief.
Just wanted to say thank you for your service. Your comments are spot-on. We used to know how to fight a war to win. Just as you and your comrades did.
How did lawyers manage to interject themselves into the war strategy anyhow? WHY is this being allowed?
Are they now going to go after WWII vets? /sarc—though nothing would surprise me at this point.
this seems to be the liberals new ‘fad’. Prosecute our troops to end the war.
Perhaps you should do a little more research on the case. One of the “civilians” was a terrorist who was running from and attack on Americans and picked up a rusty sickle to appear to be a farmer. He was watched by drones.
Bush needs to clear out the Clintonista scum amongst the bureaucracy once and for all
way too late, I’m afraid........ But better late than never!
The Hensleys do not know when or where the trial will be held. The U.S. Military in Iraq did not respond to inquries from the Citizen-Times about the case Tuesday.The couple have been in contact with U.S. Rep. Health Shuler’s office, and they said their son has hired a civilian lawyer, who is awaiting security clearance.
From an email link also at the Citizen-Times: http://www.citizen-times.com/apps/pbcs.dll/misc?URL=/templates/ArticleMultiMediaPopup.pbs&dato=20070808&lopenr=70807132&Category=NEWS01&Params=Id=81823
Dear Ms Bompey,As you will recall, FOXNEWS and CNN, at the end of June or first of July, wrote some articles concerning our son, SSGT Michael A. Hensley and his being charged with 3 counts of premeditated murder for simply doing his job as a soldier in Iraq. Then, the Asheville Citizen-Times also wrote some articles about this story. It was at this time that Lindsay Nash asked us for our comments about our son’s situation.
We are very concerned and upset at the situation our son is in and wanted to give you an update about how things have progressed. Michael has been held in confinement in Kuwait ever since the charges were brought against him. The Army has recently completed the Article 32 hearing for our son’s case; and the decision has been made for the case to go to trial.
Our son Michael is a soldier. America sent Michael to Iraq to do a job. Now he is being charged with crimes for doing that job. There is something very wrong with that picture. All of our son’s kills were legitimate and he is innocent of all charges; and these charges should be dropped. We also feel that the Army has a responsibility in all of this. Last year Michael witnessed the death of a close friend (a fellow soldier), when a roadside bomb went off and blew off his leg. Then, 2 months later, Michael received a message from the Red Cross that his fiance had died. She had died as a result of an overdose related to her depression. She had been very worried about Michael’s safety in Iraq. Michael stayed in contact with her and when he returned late from a mission she accidently took too much medication. She was found dead in her apartment 2 days later. Michael was allowed to go to Alaska for 2 weeks leave to bury her and help her parents. Then he was sent back to combat in Iraq.
Upon returning to Iraq, Michael was put in a sniper section and told by his Battalion Commander, LtCol Robert M. Balcavage that he “wanted a body count” from our son. The Command Sgt Major, Bernie Knight, said to Michael: “Sgt Hensley your job as a sniper is to conduct premeditated murder.” Our son was told by his superiors that they wanted kills no matter what it took. Then, as soon as the legitimacy of Michael’s kills came into question, these 2 men turned their back on our son and accused him of crimes.
LtCol Balcavage and SgtMaj Knight are not without responsibility, but nothing is being said about them. Again, we want to reaffirm that our son is innocent of all charges and all his kills were legitimate and he was only doing his job. I think it is a shame and disgrace for America to send our boys to war and then to accuse them of crimes for doing their job and fighting for America.
In May, 1998 our oldest son, David, was injured while serving in the 3rd Ranger Battalion at Ft Benning, Georgia. He was injured when a live grenade went off behind him in a practice. He never regained full use of his leg and was disabled as a result and later got out of the Army and his career was ended. LtCol Balcavage was David’s CO at that time, the same man that wants to ruin Michael’s life.
Michael has 2 military lawyers, but has hired a civilian lawyer to help in the case as well. I have received word from the civilian lawyer that he is having a lot of difficulty in receiving a security clearance from the Army, which he needs to work for Michael in the case against him. This is a capital offense our son is being charged with and, if convicted, he could face the death penalty or life in prison, all for simply doing his job and fighting for America, a cause that Michael believes in. The question that comes to my mind is who is the real enemy?!
Respectfully,
Bill & Jannette Hensley
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