A U.S. soldier who spent nine years at Leavenworth Prison for killing a Taliban terrorist is vowing to fight for other service members wrongly or overly convicted of war crimes.
Former Army National Guardsman Sgt. Derrick Miller joined Fox and Friends this week to share his story and discuss his upcoming role as a Congressional staffer where he will work, in part, on the newly formed Justice for Warriors Caucus.
“I told the guys at Leavenworth, I told my brothers who are sitting back there that I would do everything in my power to fight to help them get home and I’m trying to do that,” said Miller.
The caucus will–among other things–analyze cases of potential military injustice and make recommendations to the White House for considerations for relief–including presidential pardons, when appropriate.
Sgt. Miller joined the segment along with caucus member Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-CA) and Lt. Col. David Gurfein, Chairman and CEO of United American Patriots (UAP), a non-profit that helps pay the legal bills of servicemen wronged by the military justice system.
“I told the guys at Leavenworth, I told my brothers who are sitting back there that I would do everything in my power to fight to help them get home and I’m trying to do that”
Miller was convicted of premeditated murder and sentenced to life in prison for shooting a Taliban operative inside their base camp in Afghanistan during an interrogation when the terrorist grabbed the sergeant’s gun.
In Sgt. Miller’s case, grave miscarriages of justice occurred:
• Army investigators did not conduct a fingerprint analysis on the gun, did not do a gunpowder analysis of the Taliban operatives hands, took no pictures of the body at the crime scene and gave the body away to villagers for burial.
• Prosecutors threatened witnesses into reversing their written statements.
• The Army made no attempt to try to verify their own soldier’s story.
Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-TX) testified at Miller’s clemency hearing and then again at his parole hearing and he was was ultimately released on parole on May 20.
In a press release, Gohmert describes how prosecutors pressured an Afghan interpreter to change his story to testify against Miller, and did not allow other witnesses to testify.
“After first backing Sgt. Miller’s story, an Afghan interpreter was coaxed into changing his story to testify at trial against Sgt. Miller with promises of U.S. citizenship for himself and his family. Since prior efforts to get U.S. visas had been denied, he was more than willing to have a U.S. soldier convicted if it meant safety and legalization for them in the U.S. It was evident that same deck was stacked against Sgt. Miller when witnesses he needed in Afghanistan were not allowed to come testify at his trial in the U.S.”
Gohmert said he testified on behalf Miller at a hearing to modify his conviction so he could become eligible for parole because it was clear he was not guilty of premeditated murder.
“Then when the Board agreed to modify his conviction, he became eligible for parole. It was my honor to testify once again for him at the parole hearing” the Congressman continued.
“The faith in God of Derrick and his mother never wavered during the nine-year ordeal. They are very special people. Derrick’s actions actually saved American military lives for which not only got no credit; he was sent to prison.”
Watch Sgt. Miller’s appearance on Fox News:
