Pantano supported from House floor

Congressman's letter asks Bush to ensure justice for Marine

From the floor of the House yesterday, a congressman urged President Bush to personally attend to the case of Lt. Ilario Pantano, the U.S. Marine charged with pre-meditated murder of two Iraqis.

Rep. Walter Jones, R-N.C., read from a letter to Bush in which he pointed out Pantano has asked that his right to a pretrial hearing be waived and the case brought to a speedy court-martial because of the "difficulty he, his family and his legal counsel experienced in trying to obtain justice."

As WorldNetDaily reported, Jones has sponsored a House resolution supporting Pantano and joined local veterans and others in fund-raising events.

"Unexplainably," Jones said, "the government denied Pantano his right under military law to access the evidence, witnesses and relevant material intended to be presented in his case."


As WorldNetDaily reported, Pantano requested that the pretrial, or Article 32, hearing be waived because the government is withholding key evidence and witnesses. A Marine Corps spokesman told WND that Pantano � whose case has drawn outrage from many veterans and pro-military supporters � still is scheduled to face the pretrial hearing April 25 at Camp Lejeune, N.C.

Jones said it's "outrageous for a Marine to be treated this way by the very country he fought to defend."

The congressman said he believes that Pantano is innocent and his "unfair treatment" in the investigation and prosecution by the U.S. government "sends a horrible message to the brave men and women serving on the front lines of freedom."

"I know you have incredible demands on your time, but as Commander-in-Chief I respectfully request that you insure that 2nd Lieutenant Ilario Pantano is guaranteed his full and complete legal rights under the Uniform Code of Military Justice," Jones wrote to the president.

Jones thanked Bush for a response to a previous letter, sent on the president's behalf by Navy Secretary Gordon England, but said he was "compelled to once again ask for your personal attention" to the case.