Trump pardons ex-soldier convicted of killing Iraqi prisoner

[Calista241]

Source: The Hill

President Trump on Monday signed an executive grant of clemency, a full pardon, to a former Army first lieutenant convicted of murdering an Iraqi prisoner.

The White House released a statement announcing Trump's decision to pardon Michael Behenna, who was sentenced in 2009 to 15 years for shooting and killing Ali Mansur Mohamed. The move comes after repeated requests from Oklahoma's attorney general for Trump to pardon Behenna.

"Mr. Behenna’s case has attracted broad support from the military, Oklahoma elected officials, and the public," the White House said, noting that more than two dozen generals and admirals as well as numerous Oklahoma officials have expressed support for Behenna, who hails from the state. The statement added that Behenna has been "a model prisoner."

"In light of these facts, Mr. Behenna is entirely deserving of this Grant of Executive Clemency," the statement read.

Read more: https://thehill.com/policy/defense/442401-trump-pardons-ex-soldier-convicted-of-killing-iraqi-prisoner

[asiliveandbreathe]

1. Behenna was paroled 5 years ago..trying to overturn conviction...

You can read the full description of events by SCOTUS blog, many of which might be disturbing. But in short, Behenna shot Mansur twice, once to the head, and once to the chest, during an interrogation, while they were on their way to return Mansur back to his hometown. At his trial, he testified that Mansur tried to reach for his handgun, and he was acting in self defense .

Info from....


https://heavy.com/news/2019/05/michael-behenna/

[dalton99a]

2. Now he can get a job in law enforcement shooting people at will.

[cstanleytech]

5. True but I doubt any reputable good ones will want him as he is still tainted goods.

[Brother Buzz]

8. Forget it, Jake. It's Oklahoma

[cstanleytech]

9. Well I did say "reputable" ones.

[McKim]

14. Excellent!!!!

Many Iraq veterans are working in our Border Patrol!!!! This pardon is emblematic of the cruelty and lack of respect for human rights of the Trump Administration.

[McKim]

15. Yes, Border Patrol

Yes, our border Patrol is a favorite second career for Iraq War Veterans. Lack of respect for Human Rights and cruelty are a hallmark of the Trump Administration!

[rainin]

3. He will hire him.This is exactly who he needs to protect him. Trump will get the loyalty he requires

[djacq]

4. Sets a Dangerous Precedence of Vigilantism within the Military.

[sakabatou]

6. Mm-hmm

[SunSeeker]

7. Sickening. He will encourage more of such war crimes.

Which of course is great recruitment material for terrorists and endangers our soldiers serving overseas, and all Americans. And for what? What public interest does this pardon serve?

[BlueStater]

10. I got banned by The Hill because I called some racist asshole a piece of shit.

So they're fine with racist comments, but profanity is a line too far?

[C Moon]

11. Let me guess: he was a white male.

[Eugene]

12. A white male who murdered a brown Mooslim furriner.

Once again, people who Trump likes get every benefit of the doubt.

Next up, the border "militia." While Larry Hopkins looks radioactive to a rational person, some kind of clemency from Trump is coming. Count on it.

[keithbvadu2]

13. A precedent. It rationalizes the same done to our own soldiers. A pardon means guilty.

A precedent. It rationalizes the same done to our own soldiers.

A pardon means guilty.

[sinkingfeeling]

16. Making murder by someone in uniform even more acceptabke.

[mahatmakanejeeves]

17. Statement from the Press Secretary Regarding Executive Clemency for Michael Behenna

STATEMENTS & RELEASES

Statement from the Press Secretary Regarding Executive Clemency for Michael Behenna
LAW & JUSTICE

Issued on: May 6, 2019

Today, President Donald J. Trump signed an Executive Grant of Clemency (Full Pardon) for former Army First Lieutenant Michael Behenna of Oklahoma.

In 2009, a military court sentenced Mr. Behenna to 25 years in prison for unpremeditated murder in a combat zone. After judgment, however, the U.S. Army’s highest appellate court noted concern about how the trial court had handled Mr. Behenna’s claim of self-defense. Additionally, the Army Clemency and Parole Board reduced his sentence to 15 years and paroled him as soon as he was eligible in 2014—just 5 years into his sentence. Upon his release, dozens of Patriot Guard motorcycle riders met Mr. Behenna to escort him back to his home in Oklahoma.

Mr. Behenna’s case has attracted broad support from the military, Oklahoma elected officials, and the public. Thirty-seven generals and admirals, along with a former Inspector General of the Department of Defense, signed a brief in support of Mr. Behenna’s self-defense claim. Numerous members of the Oklahoma congressional delegation, Oklahoma’s then-Governor Mary Fallin, and current Oklahoma Attorney General Mike Hunter have also expressed support for Mr. Behenna. Further, while serving his sentence, Mr. Behenna was a model prisoner. In light of these facts, Mr. Behenna is entirely deserving of this Grant of Executive Clemency.

[louis-t]

18. Dump. without reading any of the facts

proclaims the guy innocent of all charges. He felt it in his 300 lb. gut.

[Blue_Tires]

19. Greenwald and Scahill were unavailable for comment

Their lack of outrage says it all

[riversedge]

20. Uproar Over Trump's Pardon Of A US Soldier Convicted Of Killing Iraqi Man [tweets on tmp]

Uproar Over Trump’s Pardon Of A US Soldier Convicted Of Killing Iraqi Man


https://talkingpointsmemo.com/news/uproar-trump-pardon-us-soldier

By Kate Riga May 7, 2019 12:20 pm

President Donald Trump on Monday pardoned former Army Lt. Michael Behenna, who was convicted of killing an Iraqi man. Some military and legal voices on Twitter are in an uproar.

Behenna was convicted in 2009 for killing an Iraqi prisoner after allegedly stripping him naked and torturing him. Behenna maintains that he acted out of self defense.

He was initially sentenced to 25 years in jail, but was released on parole in 2014.

From an Army officer:

From a Harvard Law professor:

Link to tweet

From the director of the ACLU:

From a former GTMO prosecutor and national security specialist:

From a DOD reporter and Marine veteran:




..................Trump is no stranger to controversial pardons. Among those he’s issued so far is one for former Sheriff Joe Arpaio, who refused to obey a court order telling him to stop profiling Latinos and Dinesh D’Souza, an ardent Trump fan who broke campaign finance laws. Incidentally, a group of Democrats just asked a federal appeals court Monday to overturn Trump’s pardon of Arpaio.

[lagomorph777]

21. Hmm, dangling pardons again. Must be a big round of indictments and testimony coming up.