Update on Kevin Benderman

I'm going to keep this post at the top of the page for a little while. New posts will be entered below it.

This comes in an email from Jack Dalton. It's from Kevin's wife, Monica.

THANK YOU -- to everyone for supporting Kevin and me.Kevin is currently in a local county jail -- but he is being treated well. We are waiting to see where he will be going next, and what will be happening.The appeals process has been initiated - BUT -- Kevin has not actually been convicted as yet. He is in prison, but the conviction will not be official until the Convening Authority, Col. John Kidd, has signed off on it. He cannot make the sentence any greater, but he can reduce it. It's doubtful that he will do that, he has an inordinate amount of disdain for me.

The entire prosecution team, including witnesses, all stood outside the doorway and laughed while Kevin was walking to the van. They wanted to put him in shackles and chains "so that the media could take pictures of him that way" but his supervisor, the man they had placed in charge of that, refused to do that, so Kevin walked freely.

This supervisor has been very supportive of Kevin from the start - and continues to be very upset about what is happening, as he knows the truth.Kevin could serve his entire sentence without Col. Kidd approving the sentence, which means that he will have the potential to serve without being convicted.

The reason this is a possibility is that until the sentence is confirmed, they cannot officially process the appeal, and until the conviction is official, the defense team cannot receive the full transcripts from the trial. Without these, they cannot begin to create the brief to file for the appeal.People need to be aware of this. Please... let people know just what they are capable of.Kevin is fine, and says

THANK YOU for staying with him.



Love, Monica

The Bendermans have a website, the link to which you will always be able to access in the left sidebar here at YWA.

Also from Jack:

| Free Kevin Benderman! | open the link, send your support letters, let them know they are not in this alone! Also remember that all, and I mean all, pay and allowances have been cut off to the Benderman family. As soon as I know what the address will be for Kevin I will pass it on to all of you. Kevin has already been hailed as a “hero” (and rightly so might I add) by not only others incarcerated where he is at, but, by those who are paid to be his guards and jailers also. When I spoke with Monica earlier today the fight, life, was back in her voice. The “tiger” is back in her tank. Now it is up to us to support Kevin and Monica for as long as needed, and in any way we are able. Kevin’s attorney will handle the appeal, but right now Kevin and Monica owe him $2500 which they do not have. Those of you that are in a position to help with getting the $2500 paid, you can do that by opening this link, Free Kevin Benderman. Kevin put his entire life on the line for that which he believes in—the utter futility of war and especially one such as in Iraq based on nothing but lies--which is what we all profess to believe is it not? So, we can do no less.



In solidarity and peace

Jack

Kevin Benderman at trial
(CNN photo)

Oakland, CA, rally supporting Kevin Benderman
More photos here.