Lozano Trial Watch

Not much movement over the last two days. Mario should finally be signing a retainer agreement with the lead counsel on his civilian defense team. Once this happens we will issue a press release detailing who we have chosen. Some of you already know.

Meanwhile members of the JAG Corps have continued to drag their collective heals on this. The Italian Lawyer they have chosen has been silent. Deadly silent. Mario has not heard from him in two weeks.

On other blog pages one member of the JAG,Army Lawyer, apparently un-related to this case has called me alarmist for trying to get the word out that Mario needs help. He makes the same incredibly appalling arguments that the JAG lawyers on the case do. That fighting this case on its lack of merit is the wrong approach. He does concede that Mario should have a good civilian lawyer, but doesn't like the fact that his beloved JAG corps is being criticized. Oh well isn't the constitution great?

I'll be off working for a real branch of the Army this weekend, the Infantry. So posts will be delayed. But a Paypal link directly to Mario's DefenseFund will be here soon.

Positive Developments for Lozano

Great Story from read the whole piece at Human Events


It seems that Congressman Vito Fossella (R-NY) an Italian American from Staten Island has taken some interest in Mario's Case. He took some time to write the Italian Ambassador to the US. While this kind of effort from the adminitration would be appreciated, Congressman Fossella's efforts can only help and are greatly appreciated.

Dear Ambassador Castellaneta:

I write to you today in regards to the case of Army Specialist Mario Lozano, who is currently set to go on trial in abstentia in Italian Courts next week. Spec. Lozano will be tried for the friendly fire incident involving two Italian citizens on March 4th, 2005 in Iraq. While the United States Army has cleared Spc. Lozano of any charges, I would like to take this opportunity, as former co-chair of the Italian-American Inter-Parliamentary Exchange, to discuss the position of the Italian government on the decision by the independent prosecutor to try him in such a manner.

Mr. Ambassador, I ask that you expedite my request to meet with my counterparts in the Italian Parliament and the appropriate Italian government officials as quickly as possible. Our two great countries have shared a long history of friendship, and I have worked hard in my capacity as co-chair of the Inter-Parliamentary Exchange, and as an active member of the Italian-American Congressional Delegation, to foster this friendship. Last year, I facilitated the address to Congress by former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, and I authored and helped pass legislation congratulating the Italian soccer team for winning the World Cup. I look forward to talking to my counterparts in greater detail about the in abstentia trial of Spc. Mario Lozano.

Once again, thank you for considering my request. If you have further concerns, please contact me directly, or have your staff contact XXXX at 202-xxx-xxxx. I look forward to your reply.

Kudos to Jed Babbin at Human Events for this story.

Mario on CBS

Last night CBS ran their exclusive interview with Mario. He breaks into tears as he explains that as Italian driver Andrea Carpani raced at him, he thought of his two daughters. He thought Carpani was a car bomber. Tragically, Carpani was racing Giuliana Sgrena to the airport. Tragically, fellow agent Nicola Calipari died. But anyone who watches this will understand Mario was just a soldier bravely doing what he trained for, and hoped he would ever have to.

See the CBS Piece here.

Sgrena Insults Mario Lozano

I thought I was mad at Giuliana Sgrena before. I guess anyone who calls herself a Marxist journalist. Anyone who puts herself in a position to be captured by insurgents then expects her government to ransom her. Anyone who causes a man to risk his life saving hers then blames other people. Anyone who tells lies for so long that she not only believes them but is incredulous when presented with the truth. I guess a person like that is capable of anything.

Yesterday my friend Mario Lozano broke his long silence. He told the NY Post about his life since the fateful night to years ago when tragic circumstances forced him into taking the life of Italian secret service officer Nicola Calipari. Mario has mostly kept to himself since that night. He has avoided talking about it accept to close friends and family.

Meanwhile Giuliana Sgrena has been parading herself in public. She wrote newspaper stories about it for the aptly named il Manifesto the newspaper of Italy's Communist Party. Yes it's cooler than ever in Italy to self identify as some sort of Marxist. Sgrena wrote a BOOK. And she has been shameless about promoting it. She appeared here in New York city last month recycling her lies. She appeared on CBS' 60 minutes. She has done everything she can to influence Italian and American public opinion and to reap profit from tragedy, both personally and politically.
When faced yesterday with Mario's accusations of profiteering she responded with these words.

"There's a trial. He should come and make his statements at the trial," she told Reuters.

Sgrena responded: "Even I can't sleep. Even I have had nightmares and I am still badly off because of the injury.

"I think he's playing the victim a bit," she told Reuters.

He should make his statements at trial? He's playing the victim?

In Italian they say senza vergogna.

To Sgrena I say:

"Giuliana tu sei senza vergogna!"


It means without shame!


NY Post Editorial!

Super special thanks to

Michelle Malkin

Thanks too:

Junkyard Blog

Patterico's Pontifications w/see Dubya

TIA

Mario Lozano Sit Rep.

Just a couple of quick Notes:

I am including the URLs because I understand some readers can't always access the hyperlinks.

Great Op-Ed piece in todays NY Post on Mario.
http://www.nypost.com/seven/04102007/postopinion

Also there is a new information website being built at defendlozano.org
http://blog.defendlozano.org/

And we are still raising money at The Friends of the 69th
http://www.69thfriends.org/index_files/Defense.htm

Additionally, donations can be made payable to Friends of the Fighting 69th, Attn.: SPC Lozano Defense Fund, P.O. Box 7473, New York, NY 10150.

The trial is less than one week away. We are hoping to achieve an adjournment/postponement, but due to circumstances we are counting on the Italian attorney retained by the Army to handle this, and communications have so far been poor. Mario's new attorney will be meeting with the JAG and hopefully following through on this today and tomorrow. Also keep your eyes peeled for Mario's interview with the Beautiful Lara Logan, part of it should be on CBS evening news tonight.

Mario Lozano Update

Today Mario Lozano spoke publicly to the NY Post about the incident that killed Italian agent Nicola Calipari and wounded journalist Guilinana Sgrena. He had been reluctant to talk openly about his experience. But his trial scheduled to begin in barely a week, and he is ready to fight the absurd charges against him.

As today’s story pointed out, the US and Italian accountts are vastly different. The Italian Investigators and Sgrena herself have seized on the number of rounds missing from the drum, ignoring the testimony of US soldiers. Sgrena believes that all those rounds were fired at her and hit her car, in spite of evidence to the contrary.

She maintains this accusation in her book Friendly Fire, and in all the public appearances that she has made since the incident. These appearances belie her agenda, which has been anti-American and anti-war from the beginning. Of course she denies she’s hawking her book to make money.

Sgrena has been shameless about telling her story in public, for two years. It takes hard work to stay in the spotlight. Meanwhile she has stated that she may have been targeted for assassination.

These soldier’s carried the wounded Sgrena to their humvee, and raced her to the hospital. They moved their own vehicles, which Italian investigators took as evidence of cover up. So much for gratitude

Now after two years of bashing Lozano in the media, Sgrena asserts that a trial will determine the facts. Was she ever really interested in the facts?

The fact is that the driver of her vehicle told a sergeant on the scene that he had not been tracking his speed. But he admitted he was driving fast, because he heard other weapons shooting, and wanted to get to the airport.

Sgrena and her supporters will continue to insist the car wasn’t speeding. Perhaps not by Italian highway standards, but a vehicle coming straight at you that won’t stop is scary. Especially when car bombs are a regular part of life.

Another fact is that the Italians don’t have any real jurisdiction.

Mario Lozano will not appear in Italian court. Not for this show trial. But he may answer the charges. Several prestigious civilian attorneys are offering their help. Lawyers who experts at demolishing fictions. The Italians, and Sgrena may have bitten off too much. Meanwhile the soldiers and the Friends of NY’s 69^th Infantry are standing by him.

Defend Mario Lozano

Thanks To: Mudville

BlackFive

Michelle Malkin

Betsy Newmark

Gateway Pundit

Right Wing News

Causes of Interest