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Benderman
C.O. Defense Funds Pass Half-Way Point for Retaining Private Counsel
March 2005
Sgt.
Kevin Benderman faces court martial for refusing re-deployment to Iraq.
The Conscientious Objection Defense Fund and the Defense Committee have
raised about $3000 of the initial $5000 that is needed to secure expert
private counsel.
Sunny Miller interviewed
Kevin and Monica Benderman this week by phone. They spoke from their home
in Georgia. You can hear the interview, keep up to date with developments
and make a tax deductible donation to his defense in this landmark case at
http://www.traprockpeace.org/kevin_benderman.html
Donations made be made
on-line via PayPal or by the mail. Donations that are not tax deductible
may be made to the Kevin Benderman Defense Committee. http://www.bendermandefense.org/
Kevin Benderman has taken a
courageous stand against war. Helping him is helping others who want to do
what he has done but hesitate.
Background
Benderman asked to be
discharged as a conscientious objector and refused to return to Iraq from
Fort Stewart, Georgia. He has the appointed military counsel, but has also
been advised to retain an expert civilian attorney.
"I cannot tell anyone else how to live his or her life but I have
determined how I want to live mine--by not participating in war any
longer..." Sgt. Kevin Benderman
Benderman told L.A. Times
reporter David Zucchino that he was badly shaken by what he witnessed
during a six months tour of duty in Iraq in 2003. "He saw a young
Iraqi girl with her arm horribly burned and blackened, standing helplessly
on a roadside as Benderman's convoy rushed past ..."
"Benderman said he
begged an officer to stop and help the girl, but was told that the unit
couldn't spare its limited medical supplies. 'I had to look at that little
girl, look into her eyes, and in her eyes I saw the TRUTH. I cannot kill,'
Benderman wrote in his application."
For the Feb. 7, 2005 article
by Zucchino see, http://www.traprockpeace.org/kevin_benderman.html#latimes
Charles Jenks, attorney at law
President of the Core Group Traprock
Peace Center 103A Keets Road Deerfield, MA 01342
413-773-5188; Fax 413-773-7507
charles@mtdata.com http://traprockpeace.org
The
Kevin Benderman C.O. Defense Fund was
established in February, 2005 as an affiliated project of Traprock Peace
Center in Deerfield, Massachusetts. For further information call Sunny
Miller at Traprock Peace Center, 413-773-7427. >
http://www.traprockpeace.org/kevin_benderman.html
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