Lt Col Jeffrey Chessani : The latest injustice

From the Thomas More Law Centre:

This is a Brave Marine

September 15, 2009

From: Richard Thompson, Thomas More Law Center

Dear TMLC Supporter,

He refused to throw his men under the bus to save his career. So the government intends to grind him up using their overwhelming resources.

He served three tours of duty in Iraq, including the Second Battle of Fallujah. He also served in Panama and in the First Persian Gulf War. He honorably served his country as a Marine officer for over 20 years.

His superiors considered him a superb leader, who demonstrated moral courage, with unlimited potential and value to the Marine Corps.

LtCol Jeffrey Chessani will face a Military Board of Inquiry (BOI) before year’s end to determine whether he should be demoted in rank as a result of the so called “Haditha Massacre” – a massacre everyone now knows never happened. This will be the government’s last chance to punish him. [emphasis mine]

The bogus charges against LtCol Chessani were triggered by a fierce house-to-house, room-by-room combat action taken by four Marines after their convoy was ambushed by insurgents in Haditha, Iraq on November 19, 2005. The rest later...

Read the rest of this latest travesty at Thomas More Law Centre here

Some of us have been watching this horror show for a while now. Back in June 2008 I wrote:

Monday, June 30, 2008

I am a M**tha F*****!

By now, you all know the story of Lt Col Jeffrey Chessani facing serious charges based on a Time story in which Congressman John Murtha made unfounded allegations against eight Marines, one of whom was Lt Col. Chessani. Lt. Col Chessani had his honour and reputation called into question because Murtha said that in a town called Haditha in Iraq, civilians were killed by US Marines "in cold blood". This event was in November 2005, and it has been a long and sad road to June 17, 2008 when a military judge, Col. Steven Folsom dismissed charges against Lt. Col. Jeffrey Chessani after defense attorneys raised concerns that a four-star general overseeing the prosecution was improperly influenced by an investigator probing the November 2005 shootings by a Marine unit in Haditha.

"...The charges were dismissed without prejudice, meaning they can be refiled, but Folsom barred Marine Forces Central Command from future involvement in the case. The judge gave the prosecution 72 hours to file a notice of intent to appeal. The prosecutors did not make themselves available for comment... [here]

Like everyone else I have been so outraged at the cavalier treatment these brave Marines have all faced. Of the eight charged, seven have already had all charges dismissed....(here)

I followed that up with more columns about the litany of disgrace visited upon Lt Col Chessani here, here, and here. There is more. On August 31, 2009, I wrote:

Lt. Col. Chessani: The outrage continues

Enough already! Would somebody PLEASE stop the madness being waged against this amazing man? Read on:

Government Pursuit of LtCol Chessani Continues; Ordered to Face Administrative Board of Inquiry

• Aug 31, 2009 at 10:50 AM

I am truly at a loss for words. This is beyond shocking that we as Americans allow this to even get this far. What country do we live in that treats our warriors/protectors of our country and constitution like this? I am ashamed, very ashamed of the direction our country is heading.
Twana

Chessani

ANN ARBOR, MI – Nearly four years after the so-called “Haditha Massacre,” an investigation conducted by over 65 NCIS agents (Naval Criminal Investigative Service) ─ the largest investigation in that agency’s history ─ with the expenditure of millions of taxpayer dollars, and prosecution losses at every stage of the criminal process, the government has decided to give up on the criminal prosecution against Marine LtCol Jeffrey Chessani. Nonetheless, the battle for this loyal Marine officer continues.

On Friday, August 28, 2009, the new general in charge of LtCol Chessani’s case, Marine LtGen George Flynn, Commanding General of the Marine Corps Combat Development Command in Quantico, VA, decided that criminal charges were not warranted. Instead, he ordered LtCol Chessani to face an administrative procedure called a “Board of Inquiry.” [see order here]

You can find the rest of my columns on this issue by putting "Chessani" in the search bar above.

This Marine should be given a medal, not a demotion in rank. He should, of COURSE, also be issued an official apology from Murtha.

Don't hold your breath on the latter, but if there is ANY justice left in America, Lt Col Chessani will be acknowledged for the fine Marine he is. ALL of this bs should be done - over with - NOW!