If you missed our show last Saturday, you missed a great one. Our guests were Joy Oakes and Ron Bentley, the sister and grandfather of imprisoned American soldier Staff Sgt. Ray Girouard.
Staff Sgt, Girouard, age 24, is accused of murdering Iraqi detainees while on a raid mission of a terrorist training camp. He has been recommended for a court-martial .
Staff Sgt Girouard says that he gave orders to shoot the detainees, after the detainees attacked his men and attempted to escape. He says he was following the rules of engagement which were, "kill all military age males".
Originally cleared of all charges, he now has been recommended for a court-martial after one of the men (and subsuquently others) under his command reversed testimony and claimed the detainees were not attempting to escape, in exchange for a plea bargain deal.
Meanwhile Staff Sgt. Girouard 's family (he was raised by his grandparents) are unable to afford an attorney for his defense and he is represented only by a military-court appointed attorney...the civilian equivalent of a public defender.
Guilty or not, there is no way any of us can ever know as we were not present. But what we do know is, he deserves a fair hearing with expert representation free from politics and outside agendas.
To Send Money For The Legal Defense Fund For Staff Sgt. Ray Girouard, contact his grandfather (Ron Bentley) at:
paypal [email protected] or
RON BENTLEY
108 HICKORY LANE
SWEETWATER, TN 37874
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