Posted on 01/06/2009 7:35:55 AM PST by BGHater
A White House letter tells the father his request on behalf of Sgt. Evan Vela will be 'seriously considered.'
The father of an eastern Idaho soldier convicted of killing an unarmed Iraqi says the White House has confirmed that President Bush is considering a request for a pardon.
Curtis Carnahan said he received a letter from the White House last week.
"Please know that your views on this matter will be seriously considered," it said.
Sgt. Evan Vela,a 24-year-old U.S. Army sniper,was convicted in February and sentenced to 10 years in prison for killing an unarmed Iraqi civilian who stumbled upon him and five other soldiers sleeping on May 11, 2007.
Vela also was convicted of planting an AK-47 rifle on the dead man's body and of lying to military investigators.
Vela is serving his prison sentence at the U.S. Disciplinary Barracks in Leavenworth,Kan.
Carnahan has mounted a campaign to get his son pardoned, recently sending 235 letters to the White House asking Bush to set aside Vela's conviction.
"We're still hopeful he'll do something," Carnahan told the Post Register newspaper.
Sen. Mike Crapo and Rep. Mike Simpson,both Idaho Republicans,last month sent letters to Bush asking him to pardon Vela.
Carnahan said the letter he received also noted there are other ways for his son to be released.One of them, he said, is for his son to be granted clemency.
Carnahan, who lives in the eastern Idaho town of Parker, said Vela's case will automatically move to the military appellate court.
"We're not going to stop until someone lets him go," Carnahan said.
Under the Constitution, the president's power to issue pardons is absolute and cannot be overruled - meaning he can forgive anyone he wants,at any time. Bush has so far granted 189 pardons and nine commutations.
(Excerpt) Read more at idahostatesman.com ...
Thank you.
Now, will you please do me the favor of telling me what I posted that was not true.
No wolves...just sheep. :)
You’re not from around here, are ya.
Evan did not plant the weapon.
I understand you got the info from the article.
No problem
Here's a link for you.
*sigh*
Did you know the Military Times went with the AP story word for word? Just like the Idaho paper.
I wonder how many hundreds of papers rely on one slipshod reporter before any of them (or their readers) follow up to see if their daily dose of stories are safe to swallow?
Thanks Lily.
The Anchorage Daily News used the AP story as well. Since the soldier was stationed in Alaska you’d think they’d at least do their homework.
I been looking thru G's window...
You would think sloppiness on such a grand scale would get someone fired and another demoted.
Bush lets out all kinds of scum but he won’t pardon heroes like Compean and Ramos who protect his Texas friends.
What a disappointment Bush has become.
*shrug*
#51 tag line
Like a bad dream, but she’s awake.
This is a letter from Evan's Congressman. EVERY avenue is being pursued. We all may be dogs barking up the wrong Bush. But every effort is being made by highly placed people who don't think what happened to Evan comes close to being right. Sen. Mike Crapo is doing the same.
I write this letter in support of the commutation request of Sergeant Evan Vela, a constituent of mine from the state of Idaho assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 501st Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade (Airborne), 25th Infantry Division, based at Fort Richardson, Alaska. He is currently confined at the Army Disciplinary Barracks at Ft. Leavenworth, Kansas.
I have been in contact with members of Sergeant Vela’s family and members of his community throughout Vela’s court trial and sentencing. Like them, I was concerned with the circumstances surrounding his case and the ten-year prison sentence that he received. According to my constituents, Sgt. Vela followed an order from his superior on the reasonable premise that his unit’s position would be compromised. Among the co-accused, Sgt. Vela received the harshest punishment.
Sgt. Vela volunteered to serve his country in a time of war and fought to protect our freedoms behind enemy lines in a violent and stressful environment. Our servicemen face difficult and often confusing choices everyday on the battlefield, and Sgt. Vela’s situation is not unique. I am concerned that he 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.
There are a number of mitigating factors and extenuating circumstances in this case that make a compelling argument for commutation, and in accordance with all applicable laws, rules, and regulations, I urge you to take into account those factors and circumstances as you consider his request.
I sincerely appreciate your attention and expeditious consideration of my letter in support of the request for commutation of Sgt. Evan Vela.
Sincerely,
From the time I first started to care about politics, which was when Nixon was president, the phrase “obstruction of justice” has meant to me a democrat mob saying, “We hate you, but we can’t get you for what you actually did, so we’re going to criminalize your attempts to protect yourself from us.”
This guy never should have had to worry about being persecuted in the first place, and I certainly don’t think he should be persecuted for hiding evidencce of something that shouldn’t be a crime.
BUMP!!!
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