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by David Allender | August 7, 2008
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Update:
August 18, 2008
Our fund drive for Jose Nazario has surpassed its goal. To date, one
thousand and two hundred dollars has been received, and our matching
contribution of one thousand dollars has been received by the defense
fund administrator (see the note at the end of Major Donahue's blog
post here).
Our heartfelt thanks to
Defend Our Marines readers for your support. If you haven't
already made a donation already, please consider one today. The
original appeal, posted on August 7, is below.
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Major Bill Donahue (USMC, retired) has a
personal stake in the Third Battle of Fallujah. He lost a son in that
city (a second son lost both legs a month later in Iraq). Now Donahue
heads United American Patriots, a national non-profit 501(c) 3
organization and its Warrior Fund project. His mission is to ensure
justice for soldiers and Marines accused of crimes arising out of
combat in Iraq.
Donahue speaks with passion about his cause. And he
speaks with understandable pride about his successes. Donations from
Warrior Fund were crucial to the recent exonerations of
Sgt. Leonardo Treviño
and
Sgt. 1st Class Trey Corrales.
Regarding contributions from across America, lawyer Rick Stevens said
"you all played a part in these victories".
“My Board of Directors
and I are doing this because we know that the government isn’t giving
our troops a fair shake,” Donahue says. “We also know that our
soldiers and Marines already have the deck stacked against them. When
a sitting congressional representative, John Murtha, can publicly
proclaim our Marines as being ‘cold-blooded murderers’ even before any
investigation begins, it is evident that politics is playing a major
hand in these prosecutions. Either patriotic Americans step forward
with money they would otherwise spend at the movies or these troop’s
families will have to mortgage their lives to pay for an adequate
civilian legal defense. JAG-appointed attorneys are notoriously
inexperienced in these sorts of cases. We know times are tough for
many citizens, but think about how tough spending the rest of your
life in a military prison would be like--for just doing your duty.”
As has been reported
extensively by Nat Helms for Defend Our Marines, the Third Battle
of Fallujah will take place in courtrooms.
Jose Nazario will go on trial in civilian court in
just two weeks (Donahue’s organization is shouldering the lion’s share
of his legal fees). Nazario is charged voluntary manslaughter for the
deaths of insurgents inside a house during combat operations. He is
also charged with a long list of lesser charges including
"knowingly using and carrying a firearm".
As a Marine, Nazario
faced the full might of the Iraq insurgency. Now, as a defendant, he
faces the full might (and unlimited resources) of the United States
government. Nazario’s resources are practically nonexistent, but Bill
Donahue aims to tip the scales just a little by raising cash for his
defense.
Here’s how you can help.
Go
online to the Warrior Fund
and donate now (just write “Jose Nazario Defense Fund” in the comment
field during the checkout process). Or if, you prefer, send a check,
to...
United American Patriots Inc
Attn: Warrior Fund / Jose Nazario case
5817 Starboard Drive, Suite 100
Greensboro NC 27410
Defend Our Marines will
match the first $1,000 dollar-for-dollar with a $1,000 contribution of
our own.
We’ve never made such a
direct appeal for help here on Defend Our Marines but are doing so now
because we believe that Jose Nazario deserves the thanks of a grateful
nation, not the prospect of life in prison.
We also believe in Bill
Donahue as a man who is totally committed to justice. And we believe
neither Jose nor his family should have to forfeit their lives in
financial ruin to prove his innocence.
It’s urgent and
imperative that the defenders of our nation receive just treatment
from the citizens they’d give their lives to protect. If you agree,
please step up today. Without your help, a good man like Nazario will
never have the justice he so richly has earned.
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