Pvt. Lavena Johnson

[PreacherCasey]

I hadn't heard of this woman's story until yesterday. I
apologize if this is old news to some but I would like to make
this information available for anyone who may be unaware of
what happened to her and the stunning reaction of our military
to her death. 

LaVena Johnson: Raped and Murdered on a Military Base in Iraq

By David A. Love, The Black Commentator. Posted March 3, 2009.

[b]Military authorities claimed she committed suicide in her
tent in Iraq, but autopsies revealed she had been brutally
attacked and raped.[/b] 

Have you heard the story about LaVena Johnson?

LaVena Johnson, a high school honor student, decided to enlist
in the Army to pay for college. On July 19, 2005, after
serving eight weeks in Iraq, she was killed, eight days short
of her 20th birthday.

Pvt. Johnson -- she was posthumously promoted to private first
class -- was found dead on a military base in Balad, Iraq, in
a tent belonging to military contractor KBR, a spinoff and
former subsidiary of Halliburton, Dick Cheney's company. 

-snip-

Questions were raised when Johnson's family viewed her body.
There were suspicious bruises, and while the military claimed
that this right-handed soldier had shot herself in the head
with an M-16 rifle, the gunshot wound was on the left side of
her head.

But the truth began to make itself known when the family
received the autopsy report and photos they had requested
under the Freedom of Information Act: 

The 5-foot tall, 100-pound woman had been struck in the face
with a blunt instrument, probably a weapon. Her nose had been
broken, and her teeth knocked back. There were bruises, teeth
marks and scratches on the upper part of her body. Her back
and right hand had been doused with a flammable liquid and set
on fire. Her genital area was bruised and lacerated, and lye
had been poured into her vagina. The debris found on her
suggested her body had been dragged.

And despite all this mutilation, she was fully clothed when
her body was found in the tent, with a blood trail leading to
the tent.

[b]Despite the overwhelming evidence, the Army has refused to
investigate.[/b] Through an online petition, ColorofChange.org
demanded an investigation by the House Committee on Oversight
and Government Reform.

-snip-

The entire article can be found here - 

http://www.alternet.org/world/129646/lavena_johnson:_raped_and_murdered_on_a_military_base_in_iraq/

My heart goes out to this woman and her family. Justice must
be done to honor her memory. 

[GAtomboy]

1. That's the thanks you get for serving

This makes me sick and I hope the military abandons the lame suicide accusations and actually investigates this. As a woman who served in the military, the statistic from this article is sad but very likely accurate.

[Tansy_Gold]

2. K&R

Pat Tillman got an investigation.

LaVena Johnson deserves the same.

[Karenina]

3. Indeed! And NO, I have NOT forgotten her!

K&R.

[bertman]

9. I hope LaVena's investigation is better than Pat's.

Sad story. I'm sick of hearing about this crap happening under the noses of our vaunted military leadership.

[annm4peace]

4. It is old news, but I will forever know her name. Thanks for reposting

It is totally appropriate to keeps this story alive.

Dr. Johnson, Lavena's father was interviewed on Democracy Now. Several Representatives called for the Military to invesitgate.. they refuse.

I hope all involved go insane with their guilt. I hope Lavena's face haunts them till the plead guilt and those who helped cover it up also are haunted.

[mod mom]

5. despicable! & so sad

[Mari333]

6. oh another cover up

and bush and cheney will never be held accountable as their illegal 'war' continues.

[Senator]

7. K&+R

[chill_wind]

8. K & R n/t