Guilty Until Proven Innocent?

Held in a 8x8 cell 23 hours a day with 1 hour to exercise in shackles. That's right, these prisoners are held in shackles at all times. They are being held without charges, but not at Gitmo or Abu Gribe, but here in the US, at Camp Pendleton, CA. Are these dangerous prisoners al-Qaeda?, Hamas? No, our troops.

Michelle Malkin writes,

These men — our men — may be innocent. They may be guilty. Charges may or may not be filed this week. But this much is certain: The media leaks and the Murtha-fication of the case are already taking a heavy toll on the troops and their families. The headlines have already convicted them: "Iraqi's slaying planned by Marines, official says" and "Marines Planned to Kill Iraqi Civilian, Then Planted Evidence".

The national media ignored a protest by supporters outside Camp Pendletonover the weekend. "I want the Marines to know that they are not forgotten, that people are out here thinking of them," said one attendee. The father of one of the men in custody, Pfc. John J. Jodka, worried: "It appears to me that this is the reaction of some senior people to show 'We're in charge, we're cleaning up our act."

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Michelle's Blog is in contact with some of the family members involved. The wife of one of the Marines has set up a website to help defend her husband.

Defense Fund For My Hero Here's some of what she has to say,

Hello. I'm writing this on behalf of my husband, who is a corporal in the U.S. Marine Corps. He has been deployed to Iraq three times, serving in a rifle battalion as an infantry man, and I have been with him every step of the way.

A month after leaving for his second deployment, our first and only child (our daughter) was born. The first time my husband saw our child she was 6 months old. Also during his second deployment, he witnessed his best friend being shot and killed by enemy gunfire. My husband was awarded the Purple Heart for combat wounds.

On this last combat tour, two months before he was to return home, my husband was sent back to the states and into pretrial confinement at the military base brig at Camp Pendleton, California. At the brig, he is under maximum security. It's unfair considering the fact that he was in Iraq (for the third time) risking his life, fighting for our country and he has not been convicted of anything.

My husband is one of the seven Marines and one sailor that are being held without being charged over accusations about the incident in Hamandiya that has been in the news for the past few weeks. Whenever he leaves his cell, he is shackled, handcuffed, and escorted by two guards. He is kept in solitary confinement and let out for exercise only 1 hour a day. When I visit him, he is presented to me behind a thick glass barrier and still shackled. We can’t even touch each other...

Donations can be sent to:
Defense Fund for my Hero

John T. Natter, Trustee
Natter and Fulmer P.C.
3800 Colonnade Parkway, Suite 450
Birmingham, AL 35243

Please make checks payable to:
Defense Fund for my Hero

My husband's term in the Marine Corps is up this November. Four long years.....and then something like this happens. He was planning on re-enlisting this November to become a recruiter or work at the rifle range. He loves his job and sees himself in the Corps for at least 4 more years. But his dreams just may have went down the drain.

My husband and I have a lot of support coming in and we thank each and every one who has shown this support. It is especially appreciated at this time when we need to raise public awareness and give him a proper legal defense. With him imprisoned and without the support of the Marine Corps, I was left to fight this fight alone. On an enlisted man's salary, I had quite a fight ahead of me.

Fortunately, one of the best lawyers that a Marine can ask for has just agreed to join me in this fight. My husband is being represented by Mr. Victor Kelley, a retired Marine officer with a history of successfully defending Marines.

As I write this, Mr. Kelley is on his way to meet with my husband. Since the Marine Corps has told us nothing, we don't know what Mr. Kelley will face when he gets there. But, we do know that he is the person to find out. Hopefully, he will able to move this process forward and gain my husband’s freedom.

Rear Admiral John T. Natter, U.S. Navy (Ret.) of the law firm Natter and Fulmer, P.C. has agreed to serve as trustee for my husband’s legal defense fund. His contact information is:

John T. Natter, Trustee
Natter and Fulmer P.C.
3800 Colonnade Parkway, Suite 450
Birmingham, AL 35243

Phone: 205.968.5300

Spread the word, help if you can.