Justice for Pfc. Johnson

Via email from Color of Change:

LaVena Johnson was a 19 year old private in the Army, serving in Iraq, when she was raped, murdered, and her body was burned–by someone from her own military base. Despite overwhelming physical evidence, the Army called her death a suicide and has closed the case.

For three years, LaVena’s parents have been fighting for answers. At almost every turn, they’ve been met with closed doors or lies. They’ve appealed to Congress, the one body that can hold the military accountable. But, as in other cases where female soldiers have been raped and murdered and the Army has called it suicide, Congress has failed to act.

From the beginning, LaVena’s death made no sense as a suicide. She was happy and had been talking with friends and family regularly–nothing indicated she could be suicidal. And when the Johnsons received her body, they noticed signs that she had been beaten.4 That was when they started asking questions.

After two years of being denied answers and hearing explanations that made no sense, the Johnsons received a CD-ROM from someone on the inside. It contained pictures of the crime scene where LaVena died and an autopsy showing that she had suffered bruises, abrasions, a dislocated shoulder, broken teeth, and some type of sexual assault. Her body was partially burned; she had been doused in a flammable liquid, and someone had set her body on fire. A corrosive chemical had been poured in her genital area, perhaps to cover up evidence of rape.

Still the Army sticks by their story. They refuse to explain the overwhelming physical evidence that LaVena was raped and murdered and continue to claim that she killed herself.

If you’re like me, you’ve never, ever heard of this case in the MSM. Apparently it’s made some waves via Amy Goodman and Democracy Now! as well as sites like Common Dreams and Daily Kos, but not the big outlets. Apparently the murder of an African-American woman (teenager, really) and subsequent cover-up by the Army isn’t “sexy” enough for the mainstream media. Well, that’s unconscionable and wrong.

What’s even more unconscionable is that Pfc. Johnson’s rape & murder is only one of the many tales of sexual brutality experienced by women in the US military. It’s far past time for the armed forces to address this issue in a forthright way.

Please follow the link below and demand justice for Pfc. Johnson:
http://www.colorofchange.org/lavena/?id=1826-116878