Simpson, Crapo seek pardon for soldier

Rexburg man was convicted in murder of Iraqi

By :JASON KAUFFMAN

Idaho Sen. Mike Crapo and Idaho Rep. Mike Simpson are seeking a presidential pardon for Sgt. Evan Vela, a former Rexburg-area resident, a news release from Crapo's office states. The two congressmen have sent separate letters to President Bush, citing their support for the action before he leaves office in January 2009. 

Vela was convicted by a general court martial last February for the unpremeditated murder of an unarmed Iraqi man. Crapo and Simpson maintain that Vela was following an order from his superior during the incident.

"The safety and success of our men and women in uniform would be seriously jeopardized if every service member was subjected to the same scrutiny for their actions during combat as in Sgt. Vela's case," Crapo wrote in his letter to Bush.

He said Iraqi influence may have affected Vela’s 10-year prison sentence at Fort Leavenworth, in Washington.

"It is difficult to remain confident that local Iraqi influence did not affect the outcome of this case to Sgt. Vela's detriment," Crapo said. "While similar trials have been held stateside, Sgt. Vela's remained in Baghdad, despite the redeployment of his division to Fort Richardson, Alaska."

According to Simpson, who represents Idaho's 2nd Congressional District, his two trips to Iraq in the past four years have shown him that U.S. servicemen face difficult and often confusing choices everyday on the battlefield.

"It became clear to me that this young seargent needed an advocate," Simpson states in the news release. "I am concerned that Sgt. Vela is shouldering the blame and playing the role of scapegoat for following orders throughout a series of tragic events that occurred during a time of war."

In his letter to Bush, Simpson claims a number of mitigating factors and extenuating circumstances in Vela's case make a compelling argument for a pardon, the news release states.