Statement from Sara Beining’s civilian defense attorney. November 19, 2014
Click here to contribute to Sara Beining’s legal defense and prison fund
Sara Beining will have a plea & sentencing hearing on December 9th at 9 a.m. MST at Fort Carson, Colorado. A sealed plea deal is in place, so Sara will be appearing in court to plead guilty to charges of desertion and then to make her argument in front of the judge to request a lower sentence than what was provided in the plea agreement.
Supporters and friends are welcome to attend the hearing. It will take place at the Fort Carson courthouse. You are encouraged to arrive early as you will need to go through the security checkpoint at the main gate. Be sure and bring photo ID (as well as car registration and insurance if driving your own vehicle). We expect the hearing to last all morning and part of the afternoon.
Sara appreciates all of the support she has received, including the letters and books folks have sent her. It has been hard being separated from her daughter, but she is otherwise doing fine and in good spirits.
Lastly, if you know Sara personally and want to write a letter on her behalf asking for a lower sentence, please send your letters to me at:
James M. Branum / Attorney at Law / PO Box 721016 / Oklahoma City, OK 73172
Or email them to girightslawyer (at) gmail (dot) com.
These letters may be used at the hearing but also in the post-trial clemency process. Ideally I need these letters no later than December 1 (later letters can still be used for the clemency process though).
“Courage to Resist puts the slogan of “support the troops but not the war” into practice every day. Their work to publicize and support the courage of GI resisters is an essential component of stopping the war machine.”
As a former Marine officer and Vietnam veteran I commend Ms. Beining for her bravery and integrity. During the Vietnam war a sole surviving son was not allowed into a war zone. Now we are sending moms and grandfathers to war. It is appalling. They should let her go home to her child.
There was a lot of difference between Vietnam and the present wars. At that time, people were forced into the armed forces (basically indentured servitude) and really had little choice. This present generation has choices. It’s not called a Volunteer Military for nothing. With the volunteer service, pay and benefits, living and working conditions, etc, are all better than when conscription was the law of the land. Now, if things don’t go their way, they whine and complain.
Many of the tens of thousands of Vietnam War military war resisters also initially volunteered. What you call, “things don’t do their way,” is usually the realization that they are involved in immoral and illegal wars without end.