LaVena Johnson

Three years ago yesterday, Private First Class LaVena Johnson was killed in Iraq. She didn't die in combat. She died of a gunshot wound to the head. Oh, and a few other injuries:

Private LaVena Johnson's nose was broken, teeth were loose, one eye was concave and there were abrasions over her body. The supposed M-16 hole to the head was far too small for the revolver-sized exit wound, and was on the wrong side of her skull for a right-handed woman to have pulled the trigger. Her genital area showed evidence of acid, perhaps used to destroy DNA evidence. She had white military gloves glued to her burned hands.

It is far, far too likely that Ms. Johnson was another woman in the U.S. Military who was raped and murdered by another American solider. Yet the U.S. Army is calling this a suicide and refusing to investigate further. Her parents and activist Philip Barron are trying to get her case reopened.

You can sign a petition demanding justice, and contact your senator, and your representative.

The war is horrific enough. The last thing we need is our soldiers being raped and murdered by their own colleagues. This case makes me sick, and makes me furious. What about supporting and honoring our troops? If Americans really wanted to support our troops, they would be demanding justice for Ms. Johnson and all other other women "suicides", or working to bring the troops home, not sticking little yellow magnets on their SUVs.

You can read more about Ms. Johnson at the site dedicated to her, on Feministing, on Jezebel, or on Salon.