Posted on 04/11/2009 6:13:00 AM PDT by RedRover
The petition, ready for the signature of anyone willing to stand up for what's right, is posted HERE.
Please consider printing out a copy, passing it around with friends and family, and sending it to Joseph Low. The address is in the document.
Will sign the petition, print it and distribute. Thanks again for all you have done and continue to do for our heroes.
It seems to me that we would want the opposite. Get this thing to trial as soon as possible, and get any “evidence” out in the open. Then when the Marine is cleared, the moonbats won’t be able to claim that there was a cover-up.
I’ve thought about, and I guess there are three things against this going forward.
The evidence is already out there from the other two trials. Or at least as much evidence as will ever come out. Secondly, the anti-war crowd will never be satisfied with acquittals, no matter how much evidence is on an accused serviceman’s side.
Finally, the trial is a needless ordeal, and expense, for Sgt Nelson when he ought to have received the thanks of a grateful nation. He deserves to be getting on with his life.
Hey, congratulations, Granny Justa! Great news! Do drop in—it’d be great to see you anytime!
Thanks for the petition, Red. Hopefully the SJA will drop the charges against Sgt. Nelson. They’ve lost two of the three cases related to this incident, and Sgt. Nelson’s case seems to be the weakest. If I remember correctly, the prosecutors/NCIS were trying to use him to get incrementing information from Nazario prior to Nelson retaining civilian counsel.
The third point in the petition is interesting:
“That the SJA Convening Authority has never charged a Platoon Commander Lt relating to the November 2004 battle of Fallujah”
Guess they don’t want to go to high up the chain of command, especially if they are considered war heroes from Fallujah.
Will keep you posted as the time draws closer. It would be wonderful to see you again, too. ;*)
In the Haditha case, the government didn’t charge Capt Dinsmore because he’d already received his Bronze Star. Lt Grayson’s Bronze Star hadn’t arrived yet so he could be charged without embarrassment. These cases all seem to spring from a misguided sense of good PR that I sense a suggestion of something similar here.
Could be. Then the current SJA, Helland, should decide to end this. This is a poor PR move to continue the case against Sgt. Nelson after two acquittals in both civilian and military courts. I believe they were willing to plea out Sgt. Nelson for his cooperation against the other two. What are they going to do, throw the book against him because they lost those two cases?
Unless outside pressure is brought to bear, unfortunately, I think it's likely that the government will let this case drift for years just as with the SSgt Wuterich case. The prosecution HATES these Marines for refusing to cooperate.
Worst case scenario: The prosecution will say that the testimony of Nazario and Weemer is vital. Nazario will be squeezed legally for refusing to testify in the Weemer trial. Weemer will be called to testify as well, which he won't do, and this will go on and on and on.
That's why Joseph Low is doing what he's doing to try and stop this nonsense. In any event, it's our government's move and we'll eagerly await developments.
So if Weemer and Nazario keep refusing to testify and they get thrown into jail or the brig, this only makes the prosecutors and the Marine Corps look vindictive and petty. Both were acquitted after possibly facing up to 10 or 15 years for Nazario and life for Weemer. They have no reason to help the prosecution except fear of further punishment.
I guess it’s up to the convening authority to stop this nonsense or risk further undermining his troops’ moral.
On the nose.
You remember when the Army was basically 0-2 so brought in Wijdan Mikhail Salim, Iraq’s minister of human rights to demand that Sgt Evan Vela be convicted - and he was.
NCIS wrote the book on sleazy, duplicitous and manipulative evidence gathering and hiding, and Gannon was practically begging for any conviction from spitting on the sidewalk on up, so a low blow would be reaching up for him.
Thanks for making the petition available, Red. I’ll be more than happy to help in any way possible to end this fiasco.
You all brought out some good points on the thread and I’m fairly sure the prosecution would like nothing better than to draw this thing out for Sgt. Nelson. Suspecting they can’t get a conviction because of the other two verdicts I believe they’d be happy to make his life and the lives of Sgt. Weemer and Nazario as miserable as they can as they are now doing with Sgt. Wuterich.
Hopefully Gen. Helland will step in and end this persecution of Sgt. Nelson in view of the other two outcomes.
I am printing it now. Thank you very much for posting this.
I will work hard at getting it signed.
Yes, 4wb. But the court martial is taking place stateside and we are far enough along in subduing Iraq that appeasing some Iraqi minister’s “need” to punish an American military member doesn’t exist. Also, this incident happened in the battle of Fallujah. I seriously doubt too many jury panel members want to second guess on what they might have done in that situation. That doesn’t mean the prosecutors won’t try.
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