Clemency Petition for Sgt Michael P Leahy Jr

6:27 am PST, Nov 23, Katerina Nevasky, Arizona
Dear Sgt Michael P Leahy Jr. You are a Hero and a brave man who deserves to be with your family. Your sacrifice will not go unrewarded for the countless lives you saved in battle. We, your fellow Americans, support you in every way. God bless and Protect you and your family! We are all in your debt. xo Katerina

8:49 pm PST, Nov 22, Michael Feldt, Georgia
I believe that this punishment doesn't fit the crime. I have been deployed several times and had to deal with changing policy which doesn't work to our benifits. This man is a true Hero and has saved several of his brothers lives.

8:33 pm PST, Nov 22, Jeanna Davis, Delaware
This man is a hero and DOES NOT belong in jail!!

6:43 pm PST, Nov 22, Marci Bartelt, Wisconsin
This is one of the most unjust things I have ever heard. I will pray that these three men are exonerated.

5:07 pm PST, Nov 22, Linda Herbeck, Illinois
When one is put in hell, hellish things happen. This is not his fault.

2:49 pm PST, Nov 22, Florence GERARDO, California
MY HEART GOES OUT TO YOU AND YR FAMILY ....I'M SO SORRY YOU ARE GOING THROUHT THIS ...HIS FAMILY NEED'S HIM HOME MY PRAYER'S ARE WITH YOU ALL...MY SON IN LAW SPC LOMBARDO IS FRIEND'S WITH SGT LEAHY WE ARE SO PROUD OF SGT LEAHY AND STAND BEHIND HIM 100% WITH HIM GOD BLESS XO XO ARMYMOM 0F 3 HE IS OUR HERO

12:09 am PST, Nov 22, Laurel Tatsey, Arizona
This is an American hero that is being prosecuted for the abuse of soldiers by the govenment and the United States Army. He and the three other soldiers are upstanding soldiers and deserve the freedom that they fought for!

11:26 pm PST, Nov 21, Satish Nayak, Texas
Sgt.Leahy is a hero fighting in difficult and stressful times. It is time we recognize our heroes for fighting for our country with their lives at stake rather than victimizing them for their actions. We are fighting a war and the enemy has no regards for our lives. If the Iraqis had caught our men, they would have suffered a worse state than they did. These beasts have no mercy and subject their detainees to horrendous torture till they die. At least our men were more merciful. Let these heroes get back to their lives, for heavens sake!

9:01 pm PST, Nov 21, Robert Hardman, Washington
There are two ways we can help Michael now: 1.SEND MONEY 2.PRAY Please do both. Bob in Seattle

7:24 pm PST, Nov 21, Debi Anderson, New York
War is horrible. Our soldiers are sent there, volunteer to go there, love our country and die for our freedoms......we don't walk in their shoes so we do not know what it was like for them...I just saw the CNN special and I am so appauled that these hero's received the treatment they have. Criminals are walking on our streets free and our soldiers have to be rewarded by prison? Please have a heart and let these men go they have suffered enough and their families. Please.

6:01 pm PST, Nov 21, Cyndy Ryba, Illinois
I am not in favor of this war. It has been devastating for this country and the world. That being said, this punishment is truly ridiculous. I cannot understand how we can punish these men who volunteered to make the ultimate the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom. I do not think they should have killed these Iraqis in cold blood but I cannot possibly know the effects of this war on the soldiers. I feel that the rules imposed on the military since the debacle of the administration and "leadership in Washington" is the cause of this incident.

1:16 pm PST, Nov 21, Name not displayed, Florida

4:41 pm PST, Nov 20, Deborah Lowery-Jackson, Illinois

4:38 pm PST, Nov 20, Loretta Lowery, Illinois

1:43 pm PST, Nov 20, Esther Platt, Texas
He's a hero. Send him home to his family.

8:41 am PST, Nov 20, Kenneth Samuels, Illinois

8:35 am PST, Nov 20, Sandy Lowery, Illinois
Whether or not we support the war, we as a country should support the men and women who devote their lives to defending our freedom. Yes this country has made and will continue to make a lot of mistakes, but men like Mike improve the overall quality of citizen. He's dedicated, devoted, loving and an excellent soldier. If it wasn't for him and his fellow comrads, the ones protesting and leaving nasty comments would be over there fighting. The only way we'll defeat our enemy is to understand that they are human beings. And the only way to truly support a soldier is to understand this is what he does for now but this is NOT who he is. Thank you Mike and thank you Jaime.

4:44 am PST, Nov 20, Name not displayed, Massachusetts

1:54 am PST, Nov 20, Patty Crawford, Illinois
We as civilians have no right to even attempt to judge what and why a soldier does what he does in the heat of war. When your life and the lives of your fellow soldiers are on the line 24/7 and the rules of engagement seem to be on the side of the enemy, the sense of frustration and stress are beyond anything we can fathom. God bless you and your family.

6:19 pm PST, Nov 19, Lesley Noble, Kansas
My husband SFC (SSG at the time) Joshua Noble was in A Co 1/18 for a few months (we came from Vilseck, he was in B Co 2/2 there) before going on a SPTT team. He was also in Baghdad in 2006. I would like to add my support for clemency!

4:54 pm PST, Nov 19, Name not displayed, Tennessee
I spent a good deal of time with SGT Leahy. I know he is a person of great character and does not deserve the injustice that has been bestowed upon him.

1:24 pm PST, Nov 19, Name not displayed, Texas

10:23 am PST, Nov 19, Karen Juchcinski, Illinois
Send these HEROES home to their families. They should not be punished for protecting the lives of their fellow soldiers and our country.

9:42 am PST, Nov 19, Susan Smith, Texas
God is not pleased with the ill treatment of soilders that went to battle and served when they did not really want to for wars that are needless. Michael is a brave hero and deserves to come home.

9:04 am PST, Nov 19, MONICA ROBINSON, Oregon
These HEROS gave everything for thier country, and this is how they are repaid?!?! Happy Hollidays to you too. All these gentlemen want is to be home with thier families.

8:51 am PST, Nov 19, Mike Aparicio, Illinois

8:45 am PST, Nov 19, Chris Harrod, Arkansas

8:21 am PST, Nov 19, Andrea Patterson, Texas

7:47 am PST, Nov 19, Kendra Fregia, Texas
ALL American soldiers are heros. They WILLINGLY put their life on the line for us. They are human and make mistakes as all people do. Many of our soldiers are young men having to make extremely tough decisions. Rather any war is right or wrong, we should support the troops!

7:05 am PST, Nov 19, Laurel Simpson, Washington
Dear Sergeant Leahy, If I had been in that environment with those conditions I would have made the same choice. Soldiers are CONDITIONED to defeat the enemy and even more so, to protect your brother soldier so the enemy can be met in force. If a soldier does not watch his brother's back the enemy cannot be defeated. Unfortunately, the top brass has forgotten that essential logistic. My prayers are that each of you will be released soon. With love AND RESPECT, Laurel Simpson

6:46 am PST, Nov 19, DonaMarie Thiel, Michigan

6:35 am PST, Nov 19, Name not displayed, Maine
As far as i am concerned their is only one criminal and it is George Bush. These Men,Soldiers.Husbands.Were swept under the rug bye the politicians period.They need to be freed now.

6:11 am PST, Nov 19, Mimi Park, New Jersey

6:06 am PST, Nov 19, Chris Travis, Illinois

6:05 am PST, Nov 19, Kaneika Binion, Mississippi

6:00 am PST, Nov 19, Jim Martin, Washington
As a 22 year veteran, I am disappointed the Courts Martial did not show compassion and understanding. Unless "you've smelt the smoke"of battle I feel peoples opinion are not worthy of consideration. Warriors in every war from 1775 have engaged in such nasty business as these three brave Americans. Send them home to their families, they''ve paid to high a penalty already.

5:55 am PST, Nov 19, Danyelle Murphy, Georgia
I have no idea what it is like to be fighting in a war. i can only imagine that it is horrible. I have family who are currently fighting for this great country of ours and if the men that are charged in these killings were my family I would fight for them. I think all they did was kill before being killed and in times of war I think that happens a lot. They shouldn't be punished for protecting the lives of others or their own.

5:52 am PST, Nov 19, Shirley Lindley, Missouri
I think these young men, were working to keep us safe, under extremely stressful conditions, and it is wrong to jail them for what they thought was the best thing to do at the time, trying to keep themselves, and fellow service people, and the people of our country,....safe.

4:02 am PST, Nov 19, Barbara Olson, Michigan
Thank You, Michael, for joining the US military to defend Iraqi freedoms and lend safety to American citizens. We are indebted to you and your family. Your bravery and commitment to your service is admirable. I am very sorry this is happening to you. Take Care

4:00 am PST, Nov 19, Edgar Sanchez, California

3:42 am PST, Nov 19, Name not displayed, Texas
As a regular citizen I don't believe people who volunteer to serve our country should be getting 20 to 40 yrs in jail. I don't feel everything fits into a rule book in war. best wishes to johnhatley, josephmayo.com, sgtleahy

2:21 am PST, Nov 19, Allison Evans, Illinois
It is a shame when good people are judged for actions taken during a time of war. I am quite positive this man acted in his best judgement. Free him now!

1:40 am PST, Nov 19, Angela Taylor, Georgia
Free all the soldiers..Besides..someone had to do the right thing over there..so why be punished for it..why not let our president wake up and see what really needs to happen over there

12:49 am PST, Nov 19, ANDREW YOUNG, Washington
SET THESE TRUE AMERICAN HEROS FREE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

10:42 pm PST, Nov 18, Danielle Springston, California
I support this petition for clemency. As the spouse of a service member who is going on his fifth deployment, my heart goes out to Sgt. Michael Leahy Jr. who has served his country with such bravery and his family who have also selflessly served! He is a decorated war hero and deserves to have the support of the country he has defended.

10:16 pm PST, Nov 18, Robert Downing, Illinois
This man is a Hero and should be free!

10:16 pm PST, Nov 18, Vince Lian, China
We have no courage to take wars and dangerous, so soldiers do them for us; we have no courage to face the death, so heroes do that for us. Even I am not an American, I support Sgt Michael P Leahy Jr.Why? Because there is no reason to put a war hero into prison. I hope a country could love her soldiers as they love their country and the people could protect their heroes like the heroes protect them. May God Bless Sgt Michael P Leahy Jr and all heroes!

10:02 pm PST, Nov 18, Abbey Landis, California
For any military officer that has voluntarily devoted his life to his country above and before anything else - the unselfish dedication this career path requires, and the hard sacrifices that are endured on him and his family should never for any reason, unless shooting at one of 'his own' like at Fort Hood, be sent to prison. For shooting a bunch of Iraqi's that were previously shooting at them? Shame on America's Military for doing anything but shaking these men's hands! The "Rules" seem to defend the criminals more than help the soldiers that are trying to stay alive and keep American's safe. Something is definitely wrong with that picture. Whoever wrote these rules of holding an enemy person clearly hasn't spent a day on the battle field. No one should judge these 3 men in what they did in the way that they did. They should not spend one day in prison. Not one. America should be ashamed of itself. I am embarrassed yet again as an American - and I am a huge military advocate. If any of these 4 men that they killed was the next 9/11 like terrorist and their acts could have ended up being successful, and these men stopped them before it could happen, well, they would now be heroes instead of being called murderers and behind bars. Wouldn't they. Funny how so easily things can switch hit with our dedication and honor to our soldiers. Obama was just saying on Veteran's day how we need to stand behind each and every one of our servicemen that comes home. Well, these men are on American soil. Where is their honor? It's being disgraced by the Military's focus on not what they did right for so many years, but on an isolated activity - a choice they made they felt was the right thing to do. NO one can be in their mindframe at that time except them. And we need to respect that and honor their decision. Indeed, one step further - realize there are some flaws in the rules on the enemy that need to be looked at and thank these men for bringing it to the US Military attention. What is our US Military about if we don't stand behind every decision and choice and word the men and women who wear our uniform that put their lives in harms way? It's a different world once you are there and no one can understand that unless you are there. The only judge that should have heard this case should have been a judge that was on the battlefield at one time, attacked by the same enemy over and over again. That enemy wanting them and their comrades dead. Any one else, for this specific case, and you aren't a qualified judge - you are just a person with the title 'judge' sitting behind a big mahogany desk with a fancy pen and comfy chair in a safe, stable country where you don't think twice about driving your car down a road b/c their is no roadside bomb. These men are behind bars b/c they challenged and didn't believe in the 'holding rules for an enemy person'. They took action on their own because as soldiers -this is what they are trained to do - to take care of the enemy once and for all. We aren't there to play duck duck goose with the enemy, we are there, by Obama's words: "to attack, dismantle, and stop the enemy" If we are there just to temporarily distract them for a few days, and then let them roam free again with their semi automatic rifles with US Soldiers as their target, then I think we owe it to our soldiers and to America to tell that truth and just bring everyone home because America I guess isn't really serious about playing hardball with the enemy to kill them all no questions asked. I am glad they killed these men. They did their job and did it correctly and took care of the enemy that could have been the same enemy that killed many soldiers the next week. I can't believe they even call the conditions of holding a person of enemy status 'rules'. They are idiotic and ridiculous! They basically put the same enemy back on the street shooting at this soldier or his comrades again because this enemy's sole purpose of living is to kill us - he won't stop until he is stopped or these 3 soldiers are dead like he wanted them to be. This is no way to honor our highly decorated soldiers. Our soldiers should not be behind bars. They made the right choice. A soldier's job is to stop the enemy. To do what is necessary to stay alive. Capturing the enemy doesn't seem to work in the flawed system created. A soldier is not a police officer. He shouldn't have to gather evidence. A soldier takes a solid oath and when he brings in a man and says this man has been shooting at us, than that should be all that is necessary. His word should be honored as if it's the President's signature. He is an employee of the President, the Commander in Chief of the US Military. You are telling this soldier to put down his rifle while engaged in gunfire, and take a picture of the enemy shooting at him to hope he is still alive seconds later to pick up his rifle, continue shooting and bring that picture back as 'evidence' just so this captured enemy will stay in holding and off the streets? Are you kidding me? What is wrong with that picture to you as a logical human being? You want Iraqi's as the 2 witnesses to verify the evidence? That is like asking 2 criminal gang members to snitch on their own! Who made these rules? I don't blame these men for doing this. If anything it shed great light onto what is really going on overseas and the significant lack of logic in our US Military system. So where would be today, if these 4 Iraqi men weren't shot and killed, but instead, brought back to be held, to be released only days later b/c of lack of 'evidence' which is subpar to any standard I have ever heard of for obtaining evidence on a active battlefield, to be back with a gun in their hand and shooting at our 3 soldiers yet again days later, and if successful, killing these 3 brave men? We would be lowering our flags, crying, honoring these men, and the US Military would be decorating them with more medals and awards. Again, funny how things so easily switch hit when you isolate an incident versus taking a broad look at what encouraged the incident to occur in the first place. GASP! That would mean the US Military would have to admit they wrote rules that were stupid and catered to the Iraqi's instead of supporting the US Soldiers. What is so much easier to do? Shift the blame. Put it on the soldiers. So, when the judge's home is broken into one night, and he doesn't have a gun to protect himself, and there isn't enough evidence to 'hold the criminal, and the criminal is back on the street, and the criminal comes back to burglarize the house again the next day, and shoots at the judge and then that same criminal on the same night goes to that judge's life long friend's home and kills his friend, perhaps then, that judge will understand what these 3 incredible soldiers -these decorated soldiers were describing as what was going on really going on overseas. And perhaps then, justice will prevail and that judge will immediately reverse his decision and get these men out of prison accompanied with a formal apology. In honor of Leahy and his 2 commrades Mayo and Hatley.

9:58 pm PST, Nov 18, Kim Fine, Kansas

9:53 pm PST, Nov 18, Christopher Susalis Jr, Washington

9:39 pm PST, Nov 18, Ralph Wilson, Arizona
Apparently we have forgotten the reality of what war is and what's required. This man served honorably and given who Presidents routinely give clemency for I'd have to argue he's one of the few that deserves it.

9:34 pm PST, Nov 18, Anita Carr, Arizona
As a US Army veteran I am appalled that these soldiers were charged. We are brainwashed to defend our country and our fellow soldiers from basic training on through our career. These soldiers were defending their fellow brothers and sisters by making sure they were not killed. The verdict needs to be reversed and they all should be given a general discharge at least.

9:30 pm PST, Nov 18, James e. Myers, California
the detainee holding policy is flawed. detainees must be held for the duration of the war. what is the current policy for iraq and afganistan? we must not give the enemy a second chance to kill our military.

8:55 pm PST, Nov 18, Jose Velarde, New Mexico

8:51 pm PST, Nov 18, Arun Rao, Illinois
Michael needs to be treated as a hero who fought for our country. Please give him the support that he deserves. Arun

8:50 pm PST, Nov 18, Chris Delfo, Florida
what he did was wrong but understandable too I think he was a put in a position that he is not qualified to be in (i.e. criminal evidence gatherer) I am not doubting his military experience but he is not a cop so he shouldn't be tasked with "capturing criminals" Are we not at war?