From: Richard Thompson, Thomas More Law Center
Dear American Patriot,
Marine LtCol Jeffrey Chessani refused to throw his men under the bus to save his career. So the government is doing everything it can to grind him up.
He urgently needs your help.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.
Despite all of this, on December 1, 2009, LtCol Chessani will face a Military Board of Inquiry (BOI) to determine whether he is guilty of misconduct and should be demoted in rank because of the so-called "Haditha Massacre" - a massacre everyone now knows never happened.
The bogus criminal charges against LtCol Chessani were triggered by a fierce house-to-house, room-by-room combat action taken by four of his enlisted Marines after insurgents in Haditha, Iraq ambushed their convoy on November 19, 2005. The rest of the story below.
LtCol Chessani was first criminally charged with failing to accurately report and investigate that incident. Essentially, the government said he did not file the proper paperwork. Pretty lame! Yet, had it convicted him, he would have faced 2½ years in prison.
The government lost at every stage of the criminal process.
Because it couldn't win in a court of law, the government has now ordered a Board of Inquiry to decide LtCol Chessani's fate. This is the government's clever way to "finish off" LtCol Chessani without having to follow normal court rules.
With your help, and the help of thousands of patriotic Americans, we were able to defeat the prosecution at every stage of the criminal process.
LtCol Paul Ware, USMC, a military judge who heard testimony in one of the cases involving the November 19th Haditha incident, had this to say about the government's case:
"To believe the government version of facts is to disregard clear and convincing evidence to the contrary and sets a dangerous precedent that, in my opinion, may encourage others to bear false witness against Marines as a tactic to erode public support of the Marine Corps and mission in Iraq. Even more dangerous is the potential that a Marine may hesitate at the critical moment when facing the enemy..."
But a Board of Inquiry is an administrative hearing where the normal rules of evidence are thrown out the window. The Board can consider material without the benefit of a cross examination; they can consider the tainted record of the Article 32 Hearing; LtCol Chessani cannot subpoena witnesses; and the government need only prove misconduct by a preponderance of the evidence (50.1%) rather than beyond a reasonable doubt.
The Board could force LtCol Chessani to retire and be demoted in rank. Aside from the obvious disgrace to one of our most effective combat commanders, this would cost him and his family huge losses in retirement pay and benefits.
For a man and family that dedicated their lives to the defense of our great nation - you and I cannot allow this to happen.
A BOI finding of misconduct will not only be a tragedy for LtCol Chessani and his family, but for all our troops the government places in harm's way.
Your generous financial support can help end this personal tragedy and injustice to Jeffrey Chessani and his family... and insure the future of America's fighting spirit.
Remember, your contributions are tax deductible.
(follow link below to donate to his defense fund)
Now, for the rest of the story . . .
The four Marines were members of the battalion commanded by LtCol Chessani ─ 3rd Battalion, 1st Marines ("The Thundering Third") ─ one of the most decorated units in the Marine Corps.
On the morning of November 19, 2005, a Marine convoy was rolling through Haditha, Iraq - an insurgent stronghold. Suddenly, a roadside bomb went off under a Humvee, killing one Marine and seriously injuring two others.
Marines immediately received fire from the ambushing insurgents who were shooting from nearby civilian-occupied homes.
Following orders from the officer at the scene, and at great risk to themselves, the four Marines stormed the houses from which the insurgents were firing. In the ensuing room-by-room, house-by-house gun battles, the Marines killed at least nine insurgents.
Tragically, 15 civilians were also killed in the crossfire. In urban combat where insurgents purposely use civilians as human shields, civilian casualties are an unfortunate, but not uncommon occurrence.
As tragic as these civilian deaths were, we can't shackle our combat commanders' ability to make decisions by placing them in fear of criminal prosecution or Boards of Inquiry every time there are civilian casualties as a result of combat action.
LtCol Chessani immediately reported the deaths of the 15 civilian Iraqis to his superiors.
The Pentagon had his battlefront report within 24 hours.
Not one of Jeffrey Chessani's superiors - including top generals - learning of the 15 civilian deaths considered it unusual. Not one of them suggested an investigation. In fact, his superiors commended him for a job well done.
But a few months later, an inflammatory Time Magazine news lead, instigated by an insurgent propaganda operative, accused the four Marines of massacring innocent civilians.
Pennsylvania Congressman John Murtha, the leading anti-war politician, appeared on major television networks and stated there had been no firefight. He publicly accused the young enlisted Marines of "cold blooded" murder and Marine officers of a "cover-up." He blamed it on the stress of being in Iraq too long.
Political and media pressure caused the military to buckle. At least 65 fulltime investigators, the largest investigation in the history of the NCIS (Naval Criminal Investigative Services) were assigned to conduct a year-long, multi-million dollar investigation focused on LtCol Jeffrey Chessani and his four enlisted men.
Every patriotic American should be concerned with the outcome of this case because it could drastically curtail the future ability of American soldiers to defend our Nation.
For twenty years Marine Lieutenant Colonel Jeffrey Chessani has been defending our nation... often away from his wife and children... so that we could be safely with ours.
I am aware that these are hard economic times for many, but please consider the sacrifices that LtCol Chessani and his wife and children have made for each of us and our families, so that we may have peace at home. This is one of those times that you can show your gratitude. So please be as generous as you can.
(follow link below to donate)
Note the absurdity of it all... LtCol Chessani is charged with failing to accurately report and investigate a crime that the military now knows never happened.
With their false accusation, insurgents eliminated one of America's most effective combat officers. They know...
"A nation which forgets its defenders will itself be forgotten."
Our representation of LtCol Chessani is without charge. But we need your financial support to carry on this fight.
Without our help, LtCol Chessani's legal bills defending against the criminal charges and now the charges in the Board of Inquiry would already be astronomical - out of reach for a husband and father of six young children (the seventh on the way) surviving on military pay.
In preparing for the Board of Inquiry, TMLC lawyers will again examine thousands of pages of investigative reports and personally interview countless witnesses.
The Board of Inquiry will take place at Camp Pendleton, California. It will last several weeks. The Thomas More Law Center will bear the enormous costs associated with establishing a second office, paying hotels, and all the other expenses associated with two lawyers handling a case 2,000 miles away.
LtCol Chessani was in Iraq because his country sent him there. He willingly answered the call to serve his country in our defense. That's why he deserves the support of every patriotic American. Now is the time to show him our gratitude.
As tragic as these civilian deaths in Haditha were, it's essential that we not shackle our combat commanders' ability to make decisions by placing them in fear of criminal prosecution every time there are civilian casualties as a result of combat action.
LtCol Chessani has devoted his life to the defense of OUR country... NOW he needs OUR help.
May God bless you, and may God continue to bless America.
Richard Thompson, Esq.
President and Chief Counsel
Thomas More Law Center
If you prefer to mail your donation to the Thomas More Law Center, please mail to:
Thomas More Law Center
24 Frank Lloyd Wright Drive
PO Box 364
Ann Arbor, MI 48106
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