Time: Tue Oct 14 08:51:41 1997
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Date: Tue, 14 Oct 1997 08:15:58 -0700
To: (Recipient list suppressed)
From: Paul Andrew Mitchell [address in tool bar]
Subject: SLS: "THE SUICIDE FILES"  (fwd)

<snip>
>
>THE SUICIDE FILES
>THE SUSPICIOUS DEATHS OF 40 SERVICEMEN DESERVE AN INDEPENDENT INVESTIGATION
>December 23, 1993
>Philadelphia Inquirer
>EDITORIAL
>
>In May, Inquirer staff writer David Zucchino's reporting raised serious
>questions about the military's handling of the cases of 14 servicemen who
>died in recent years under suspicious circumstances. Since then, 36 members
>of Congress asked that a special board of inquiry investigate the 14
>deaths, which the military said were caused by suicide or self-inflicted
>wounds - rulings that family members and independent experts have
>challenged.
>
>And what has happened since? The Pentagon's Inspector General has limited
>its interest to four cases. And the list of young military men who died
>under suspicious circumstances has grown to 40.
>
>Based on the plethora of information unearthed by Mr. Zucchino and
>published in a four-part series this week, the military's attitude is
>outrageous and unacceptable. The only way to clear the air is for a
>government inquiry independent of the military to be launched immediately.
>
>                                     *
>
>Imagine the pain of these families: Sons and husbands, some of whom had
>written cheerful letters home or made plans with loved ones only days
>earlier, came back from military duty in a box with a death certificate
>marked ''suicide."
>
>The families usually accepted the military version until they looked a
>little closer. One mother noticed that her dead son who supposedly hanged
>himself had abrasions all over his body. A wife couldn't believe her
>husband's death was ruled a suicide before fingerprint and blood tests were
>back from the lab. Another family discovered their son's body had been
>gutted before it left El Salvador.
>
>When the families began asking more questions, they found themselves in a
>virtual war with a military that seemed intent on hoarding, altering and
>censoring information about how these young men died.
>
>Often, evidence pointed to the murder of servicemen who were investigating
>or had witnessed illegal drug activities. In many instances investigated by
>The Inquirer, the military seemed more interested in quickly disposing of a
>case rather than embarrass the local commander by looking into allegations
>of drug dealing and murder.
>
>                                     *
>
>Some of the questionable rulings were based on something called a
>''psychological autopsy," in which investigators sought to build the
>psychological case for suicide even as they botched the physical probe. The
>military should have rid itself of such autopsies as a primary
>investigatory technique after the Naval Criminal Investigative Service
>(NCIS) mistakenly used one of them to blame Gunner's Mate Clayton Hartwig
>with blowing up a gun turret on the USS Iowa, which killed himself and 46
>sailors. The explosion was determined to be accidental.
>
>Congress has required that the Pentagon review its procedures for
>investigating deaths ruled self-inflicted and report back to Congress by
>next July. Families also can now present to the Pentagon's Inspector
>General evidence of a "material deficiency" in a death investigation.
>
>Many of the families are gratified that Congress is at least questioning
>the military's methods. But they want an independent probe and they have
>formed a group called "Until We Have Answers." Everyone in America deserves
>those answers.
>
<snip>

===========================================================================
Paul Andrew Mitchell, Sui Juris      : Counselor at Law, federal witness 01
B.A.: Political Science, UCLA;   M.S.: Public Administration, U.C.Irvine 02
tel:     (520) 320-1514: machine; fax: (520) 320-1256: 24-hour/day-night 03
email:   [address in tool bar]       : using Eudora Pro 3.0.3 on 586 CPU 04
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ship to: c/o 2509 N. Campbell, #1776 : this is free speech,  at its best 06
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_____________________________________: Law is authority in written words 09
As agents of the Most High, we came here to establish justice.  We shall 10
not leave, until our mission is accomplished and justice reigns eternal. 11
======================================================================== 12
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