A MISCARRIAGE OF JUSTICE has placed an American soldier behind bars at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. The Military Justice System has failed him. Now, only you can bring justice to this young man. You need to write and call your Representative in Congress and your Senators, as well as the President of the United States. You have to encourage your friends and family to join you in this desperate fight. Lastly, you should write to this young man. Like the bugle call of cavalry riding to the rescue, your letter will give him the will to remain strong in the hope that his salvation is on its way. 

First Lieutenant Michael Behenna was convicted by a court martial after he killed a suspected terror operative. He is now serving 15 years at Ft. Leavenworth for a crime that many believe was an act of self defense. In a video aired on PJTV, Behenna's parents joined Colonel Allen B. West to discuss their son's trial, and the existence of exculpatory evidence that should acquit their son. 

The interview of Lieutenant Behenna's parents goes well beyond an impassioned plea for justice. Both parents have strong criminal justice backgrounds. His mother is a Federal Prosecutor who worked on the Timothy McVey case in the bombing of the Federal Office Building in Oklahoma City, and his father is an intelligence analyst for the Federal Bureau of Investigation. (Click here to Watch the Interview )

You should also visit the website created by Lieutenant Behenna's family and friends to help publicize this case at Defend Michael. In addition to the evidence of Lieutenant Behenna's innocence, this website offers a petition that you may sign to further help his case.

One of the more disturbing revelations that came to me in a brief email exchange with Lieutenant Behenna's family is that terrorists incarcerated at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, have access to computers and the Internet that is denied to this American soldier. I had made the offer of sending free copies of my books to help him pass the time in prison while others work to secure his freedom. I suggested that he might appreciate my journals of my own experiences in the military as well as my novel featuring an Airborne Ranger like himself. Unfortunately, my books are only available on e-readers and computers and he is denied access to those while the terrorists are given access to computers and Skype.

One of the principal flaws in Lieutenant Behenna's case was the fact that prosecutors withheld exculpatory evidence provided by their own witnesses. It is hard to blame such behavior on misfeasance or the incompetence of the prosecutors. It is too basic an error. However, it is dangerous to charge the prosecutors with malfeasance at a time when Lieutenant Behenna's best chance of exoneration lies in the hands of their superiors.

Generally, prosecutorial misconduct arises from political pressures. Either the prosecutors themselves or their superiors are seeking some political advantage that may arise from a conviction in a highly visible case involving a heinous crime that has shocked a community or when the defendant can be used as a scapegoat for some political action that has proven unpopular. Certainly, the war on terrorism has become the focus of public discontent and politicians are beginning to look for cover from the fallout that is certain to ensue when Afghanistan returns to Taliban rule. Unfortunately for the current Administration, they now own that war and blaming it on their predecessor, George Bush, has been overused. The Army and its sister services may soon find themselves in the crosshairs.

Again, this is a debate better left for another time. We don't want to deny justice to Lieutenant Behenna by focusing on the political aspects of the case until after he is exonerated.

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Send books, money orders and your letters of support to:

Michael Behenna #87503
1300 N. Warehouse Road
Fort Leavenworth, KS 66027-2304