Coroner's Call Leaves More Questions For Killed Soldier's Family

[sabra]

<<SNIP>>
http://www.ksdk.com/printfullstory.aspx?storyid=82905

Coroner's Call Leaves More Questions For Killed Soldier's Family

A St. Louis County family has even more questions after a call from the military. The medical examiner in Dover, Delaware called the Johnsons Wednesday to confirm their daughter, LaVena, died of a self inflicted gun shot wound, indicating suicide. "I believe its either cover up or somebody is not doing their job," an angry Dr. John Johnson told NewsChannel 5.

The Johnson family still suspects foul play. LaVena's father says, "Maybe she saw something, maybe it wasn't rape, maybe she saw something. All I know is something went wrong."

The Johnsons criticize the military for sending LaVena to Iraq even though she flunked her weapons training and a bullet was not found in the death of the supply specialist.

Dr. Johnson asked the medical examiner, "Did you check if my daughter was raped or molested, I was told no, why is that, they said there was no sign of struggle, but it seems to me it would be routine since it involves a female."

<</SNIP>>

[Gyre]

1. I can't imagine

their pain. But, the military OWNS YOU when you enlist. They can do whatever they want with you, your body and your possessions. They have their own law which they sometimes enforce when it's expedient for them. Civilian law doesn't even apply in most cases.

If I had a daughter who wanted to enlist, I'd do everything under the sun to keep that from happening. If it did anyways, I'd probably write her off (to keep my sanity).

Gyre

[Pacifist Patriot]

45. I have sons.

I am all for personal choice and responsible decision-making. If my 18 year old son (10 years from now) wanted to enlist in the military I would seriously consider handcuffs and duct tape.

[wtmusic]

2. What's to prevent the military from "suiciding"

those who refuse to fight?

[Kelvin Mace]

4. Even *I* am not that cynical

[DoYouEverWonder]

5. Check out all the 'suicides' from Fort Bragg

in 2002 and 2003 and then let's see how cynical you are then.

BTW: The guy in my sig line. He was a 'suicide' too. Two bullets to the head with a revolver, I don't think so.

[robertarctor]

20. I knew and worked with the guy in your photo ...

... and my daughter is good friends with one of his sons. I think that, in this case, Occam's Razor is correct, and he didn't get Casolaro'd. His death was self-inflicted. Not that that's going to change your mind.

[Cha]

41. Who is he?

I've always wondered?

[DoYouEverWonder]

46. Gary Webb

December 20, 2004
Gary Webb, Word Warrior

Webb’s big story was a three-part series arguing that the CIA was complicit with right-wing Nicaraguan Contras as they sold the cocaine that accelerated the crack-cocaine epidemic. One of the subheadlines of the Esquire article was “A Good Man Destroyed.”

http://www.inthesetimes.com/site/main/article/1774/


The story that he was investigating regarding the Iran Contras and the crack epidemic was something that I saw happen first hand during Reagan's so called 'war' on drugs, when part of my job was to do home visits in the worst areas of Miami. In about 3 short years, the drug of choice in the ghetto switched from marijuana to crack cocaine. The effects were devastating.

[Cha]

48. Sorry, I missed the story of Gary Webb.

Thanks..how Sad..I wish the good guys could win one.

Why is it when there is an investigation about some high muckety mucks the investigator always(not always but it happens enough to be remarkable) ends up suicided?

[dmr]

47. Gary Webb, zidzi

I'm sure you've heard of him. If not, please Google him. You won't be sorry.

[Cha]

49. Thanks, I did google cause I

really didn't know about Gary Webb. But, I did find this intriguing story on commondreams..

"R.I.P. Gary Webb -- Unembedded Reporter
by Jeff Cohen

Gary Webb, a courageous investigative journalist who was the target of one of the most ferocious media attacks on any reporter in recent history, was found dead Friday after an apparent suicide."

More..
http://www.commondreams.org/views04/1213-31.htm

[preciousdove]

51. 1971 Ft McCoy Anniston Alabama

Joined USWAC Army for a lot of wrong reasons. In the Atlanta airport we ran into a T4, a General's daughter, who told us "Get out now if you can." Unbelievably corrupt brutal system that frankly wasn't working. Religious, racial and sexist blatant in your face discrimination on an hourly basis. I was not very religious, I was not minority but I was obviously the wrong sex since none of the male officers saluted us back as required by military protocol.

Sometime in November our barracks was awakened by African American soldiers rushing in claiming that an officers wife had run down an African American female soldier and that soldier was denied treatment so she could not testify and died. Having dodged enough Kamikaze officers wives cars it was not unbelievable.

An agitated crowd materialized below our windows and as we watched buses with other soldiers streaming out with guns drawn. The crowd flowed back out into the night. Later we heard that they went back and got their guns and ammo, afraid of being eliminated as second hand witnesses to what happened. You had to live in the 60's, and understand the threat of the draft to Vietnam to fully understand the fear and years of pent of rage from daily injustices and centuries of family traded at the hands of the majority.

The next day the sun rose and to the rest of us things seemed to be over but they were just starting. When evening fell the shooting started. The base went on night time lock-down. No unarmored vehicles moved, not even ambulances. Next the combat squads went out during the daylight ours, all white to eliminate the "stray dogs" on the base. For some reason those who were in basic were offered a one time an get out of the Army with an honorable discharge if you go quietly and say nothing offer. All of the MN women and all but one of the Wisconsin women took it and went home and tried to forget.

Would they "suicide" people under the new World Order. Without a doubt. Would they cover stuff up for a reason or just because they can. Without a doubt.

I talked to an in-law who joined the service out of law school. A true believer, overachiever. He joined "the church" and bought the line about having large families to save souls and provide moral leadership in the future. He assured me that the corruption of Military during Vietnam was history. However, in the last two years his three youngest have required surgery and medical treatment away from where they are stationed requiring my family member to be thousands of miles away for weeks at time. Those three youngest were affected by the trauma of surgery and family separation. So he saw an opportunity to stop working 14 hour days seven days a week and be there to work things out. Unfortunately they need bodies for Iraq and while he was signed out of one job (exempt from being sent to Iraq) and before he was signed into the next job with the same exemption they took the opportunity to detour him to a tour of Iraq (but of course only for six months). So now this troubled family of six kids, three in crisis, that drank the koolaid is being torn apart for Bush's play war. Once you are in Iraq is there any way back? I don't know but the family cannot easily leave Asia to return to the states where family can help out because the duty is "temporary".

Would they kill people and cover it up for things that make no sense in our lives. In a heartbeat. You cannot sit here even with what we do know and think we understand and really grasp how a corrupt US military operates.

Did things ever really get better better in the military? I don't know. People who are out don't always talk because those who say "not even I am that cynical" wouldn't believe them. My youngest sister's best friend joined the guard to help pay for education and something similar happened as her group during basic. They were offered a get out of the military free and clear deal too, she would never say what (mid 1980's) and my daughter-in-law before I knew her joined because her best friend wanted education benefits. They observed the brutal rape of another soldier by a gang on the base where she was and was given an honorable early discharge and told to go home because they could not protect them from retaliation from the gang for testifying. (They were told they had no choice. They testified or went to prison themselves for obstruction late 1990's.)

You have no Constitutional rights while in the military. My simple analogy of the situation is that your footlocker was much more valuable to the military than you are. Given a choice they would almost always destroy you to protect the footlocker. But of course nobody still inside would be foolish enough actually speak that out loud and I understand why civilians could not understand.

[anotherdrew]

9. whats to prevent? that's the standard threat.

"charge that foxhole or I'll shoot you myself private"

seriously

[Sequoia]

23. It happens.

[WhiteTara]

15. nothing

:cry:

[Rose Siding]

3. Sending people who flunked weapons training?

Wonder what toll that takes on "morale"

[Solly Mack]

6. she flunked weapons training?

hmmm....

[soup]

7. Strange

LaVena L. Johnson
Thursday, July 21 2005 @ 11:31 AM EST
Contributed by: tomw

Individuals US

WKYT.COM -- ST. LOUIS -- An Army representative who delivered news of a Fort Campbell soldier's death to her family in Missouri said she died from self-inflicted injuries but that her death was not a suicide, the woman's father said.

Army Pvt. LaVena L. Johnson, 19, died Tuesday near Balad, Iraq, from what the Army called noncombat-related injuries. The Army said the cause of death remained under investigation.

At the Pentagon, Maj. Elizabeth Robbins, Army spokeswoman for casualties, said late Wednesday that deaths are listed as noncombat-related "if the enemy forces were not involved" and "it was not part of doing combat duties."

There are five major causes of deaths that can lead to such categorization: accident, illness, foul play, suicide or an act of God, such as lightning.
http://www.pigstye.net/iraq/article.php/JohnsonLaVenaL

--

Soldier's family lays her to rest
By Norman Parish
Of the Post-Dispatch
07/28/2005


Linda Johnson walks with her husband, John, left, as she is led with other family members to her daughter's grave.
(Andrew Cutraro/P-D)

The family of Army Pfc. LaVena L. Johnson buried her on Thursday without knowing exactly how she died. Her father and sister fear that foul play may have been involved.

>An Army representative had told her father, John Johnson, that she died of self-inflicted, noncombat injuries, but that it was not a suicide.

>George Heath, the Army public affairs officer at Fort Campbell, Ky., at first confirmed a report that Johnson had been shot in the head. Later Thursday, he said he could not confirm whether she had been shot.

An employee of Austin A. Layne Renaissance Chapel in Jennings, which handled the funeral arrangements, said a wound on the left side of Johnson's head appeared to be a bullet hole. The employee asked not to be identified.<
http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/news/stories.nsf/stlouiscitycounty/story/BA1039F972FDECCA8625704D0011AB9C?OpenDocument

--

Family lays to rest Pvt. LaVena Johnson


Wednesday, July 27, 2005 6:47 PM CDT


The family of U.S. Army Pvt. LaVena Johnson watch as her body arrives at Lambert international Airport Tuesday night. The 2004 graduate of Hazelwood Central High would have turned 20 years old Wednesday. Pvt. Johnson died near Balad, Iraq a week ago from non-combatrelated injuries. Photo by Wiley Price

Foul play is suspected in her unexplained death

By Daniel R. Brown

Of the St. Louis American

"The military came to my door on July 19th at 7:30 in the morning. The moment my wife looked out the window and she said ‘John, it's a soldier standing on the porch,' I knew it was bad news," recounted John Johnson, father of Private LaVena Johnson, 19, of Florissant who died last week near Balad, Iraq.

She was the first female soldier from Missouri to die while serving in the current war in Iraq.

"It came totally unexpected, because she had just talked to her mother on the phone on Sunday for about an hour," Johnson said.

>
"This is what they said: ‘Your daughter died this morning of a self-inflicted wound,'" Johnson recounted.

"I said, ‘Self-inflicted? Are you saying that my daughter shot herself?' He said, ‘No, sir, but it's being investigated.'"
http://www.stlamerican.com/articles/2005/07/29/news/local_news/localnews01.txt

--

Body Of Soldier Killed In Iraq Flown Home To St. Louis
created: 7/25/2005 11:12:30 AM
updated: 7/26/2005 12:10:12 PM


By Ann Rubin

(KSDK) - The body of a soldier who died in Iraq was flown back to St. Louis Monday night. As the family of Lavena Johnson prepares to lay her to rest, they still wonder what went wrong.

The Army says Lavena Johnson did not die in combat. They also say her death was not a suicide. Beyond that, they have given no specifics, leaving her family to question why.

Nothing could prepare them for this moment. The family of Private First Class Lavena Johnson stood to welcome her home. They say Lavena was strong and determined, someone who by all accounts should have thrived in the Army. Her father, Dr. John Johnson, says, "We know she could have endured this storm if given the chance. What we don't know is what went wrong."

They have asked the Army repeatedly for answers. They've even enlisted the help of congressmen to find out why. But they still don't know how Lavena died last week. That makes this day all the more difficult.
http://www.ksdk.com/news/news_article.aspx?storyid=82323


Lavena Johnson
http://www.ksdk.com/news/news_article.aspx?storyid=82323

The pictures of her parents just rip at my heart. I wonder if they'll ever find out what actually happened to their daughter.

Rest in peace. I'm so sorry.

[sabra]

8. sad indeed. thanks for the post!

[soup]

11. So much hope was buried with her.

>Johnson had been assigned to the 129th Corps Support Battalion based at Fort Campbell. She graduated last year from Hazelwood Central High School. As a high school student, she was an honor roll student who had straight A's in her senior year.

The program at the funeral stated: "She was a good Samaritan - she gave canned goods to the Scouts, donated her personal clothes to the needy, walked in marathons for heart disease, gave blood at school and even fed the homeless. LaVena enjoyed making people smile on the inside, as well as the outside."<
http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/news/stories.nsf/stlouiscitycounty/story/BA1039F972FDECCA8625704D0011AB9C?OpenDocument

--

>The family released a bouquet of balloons that said 'Happy Birthday'. Lavena would have turned 20-years-old Wednesday.

The Pentagon is investigating Lavena's death. The family has been told she died of non-combat injuries. Her father says they told him her wounds were self inflicted..but it's not a suicide.

The honors student from Hazelwood Central High School joined the Army after graduating last year. The girl, described by her father "as close to perfection as you can get," was sent to Iraq in February.<
http://wb11tv.trb.com/kplr-news-072805-2,0,3769225.story?coll=kplr-home-1

19 years old.

[anotherdrew]

13. what a damn shame this is

how awful, and so many other like her gone...

These poor kids still young enough to believe in what we say instead of what we do.

[fortyfeetunder]

50. Good effing grief

A young person making straight A's in school should have had a scholarship for college, not be cast as cannon fodder.

[Theres-a]

10. Damn.

:cry: This should be on every news channel.Every damn channel.

[anotherdrew]

12. couldn't have been russian-roulette could it?

self-inflicted but not suicide?

Doesn't seem like the type to play such games willingly.

[soup]

14. I don't think so.

According to those who knew her, she was very well-grounded. A good heart, a bright smile, a promising future, a close-knit family - just doesn't seem very likely at all to me.

She had so much to live for.


sorry for the delayed response to your post. had to step away from it for a bit. Although every death, every injury touches on some level, sometimes the loss just slams me and the death of this young woman was one of those that reached in and broke my heart.

[me b zola]

24. Here's an interesting quote

from the article you sited from The Saint Louis American:

~snip~


After LaVena's remains were returned to the family on Tuesday, the Johnsons did some disturbing and shattering investigations of their own.

"I am going to tell you for a fact. We looked at her body and we saw some things," Johnson said.

"I don't want to say too much right now, but I am going to say this: I think that the investigation is a criminal investigation, and I think that there is foul play."


~snip~


This is heartbreaking.

May LaVena's family recieve the answers to their questions, may they find peace.

[Straight Shooter]

36. If that were my daughter, I'd be tearing my hair out with grief.

Look at that beautiful face. Not just beautiful, but there's a certain joy of life written all over her.

I can't express what I feel towards bush right now. Can't do it. It's too ugly for words.

[Cha]

42. "Self-inflicted" but "not a suicide"..and

"she flunked weapons training"?

[EFerrari]

16. Wait. If she dies of self-inflicted wounds

that are not suicidal AND she flunked weapons, isn't that a lawsuit for wrongful death?

[redqueen]

18. That's a very good question! n/t

[MADem]

22. No

First, she was a supply type, not combat. With the way the numbers are nowadays, they are waiving everything from high school diplomas to drug use to criminal history to fitness standards, just to get warm bodies. They are sending people over who are not in compliance with medical and dental readiness standards, and trying to play catch-up on the other side with med/den teams. Everything is negotiable at this point. It would not surprise me if there is a waiver in effect for weapons quals for non combat types. In fact, I'd bet on it...what better way to get out of going to the sandbox, if you did not want to??? Gotta close that loop!

The story is probably something along the lines that she dropped or mishandled a weapon with the safety off and accidentally killed herself, not intending to.

The real story is probably something else. If someone else was there, they know. Will they ever tell? Hard to know that. In any event, you can't sue the government...well, you CAN, but you won't win and you will go broke trying. They can delay and deny and continue cases forever, and their lawyers aren't on the clock--they're salaried. The "National Security" argument is good for a two year delay, just for starters. Then there's the "wartime" argument, which can slow things down interminably.

I hope the parents got a private autopsy before they buried her, but I will bet they didn't. Too grief stricken, I imagine...

[EFerrari]

34. You're probably right. Those poor people. n/t

[Cha]

43. Just what I was thinking.

That's what it adds up to from that information..we'll have to wait and see.

[Norquist Nemesis]

17. "self-inflicted wound" but no bullet?

Am I presuming it was a gunshot when it could have been a knife? I'd like to know more about this "wound".

If I were the parents, I'd be getting the local coroner involved for some forensic examinations.

[ninkasi]

19. How truly sad

A bright, beautiful young life, over before it ever really started to live up to it's potential. My heart goes out to her family, especially her mother. I have a grown daughter, and know how I would feel. I hope they get through this tragedy somehow.

[wli]

21. I'd not be surprised if a number are shot for refusing orders

[hack89]

25. Is this based on fact or personal bias?

I have no doubt you can document many cases, if not in Iraq, then in vietnam and other recent wars.

[anotherdrew]

26. well hack89, they don't really send a fax to the NYT when this happens

I'm not sure how this is documented in the military paperwork, but it's a real possibility.

[hack89]

32. Don't you believe such sweeping statements require some evidence?

how doe it differ from freepers saying that the Clinton's were in league with drug traffickers? They had no evidence but it was "a real possibility" to them.

[anotherdrew]

37. misunderstanding...

I'm not suspecting that any such thing happened in this case. It's just that in battle disobeying your commander can be dealt with by execution. Probably doesn't happen much any more. Probably more of a movie thing than anything that gets done much, but I can see it coming up in viet nam and possibly iraq.

However there have been rumors of 'accidents' befalling some 'troublemakers', but nothing I could cite as to US military personnel, but some journalist deaths do seem too convenient.

[wli]

27. neither

It's plausible that a number (no idea how many or how few) object to what's going on and severe punishment is meted for disobedience of orders. It's not really a question of if, but how many. I don't expect it to be particularly large (even in a grossly objectionable war; how many German soldiers were shot for objecting during WWII?) but it may also account for some fraction of deaths with suspicious explanations.

[hack89]

30. I don't think it is plausible at all

I would understand court martials but not secret executions. If you wanted to deter soldiers from dissenting what is the point of secrecy? Do you honestly think that the military would hesitate for second to throw a soldier in jail for a long time?

"If it not a question of if but of how many" - don't you feel even slightly compelled to back up such a bold statement with at something beside personal opinion?

[wli]

31. I must be wrong, then

[hack89]

33. No...

you simply lack the proof to convince me. Let's not make a federal case out of it, shall we?

[Miss Chybil]

28. I highly doubt it.

Let's look at the lack of logic behind your statement:

1. Most people in military units train and work together over a period of time in order to learn how to keep themselves and each other alive.

2. To assume someone was shot for refusing to obey orders, implies it would be the order-giver who did the shooting. Having spent 9 years in the Army I know it is the NCO's (order-giver's) ultimate responsibility to care for his, or her, troops and to complete the mission. Yes, I'm sure they would like to shoot some of their troops, sometimes, out of frustration, but the simple fact a troop, in this day and age, is pretty hard to come by and the fewer you have the harder it is to complete the mission, it isn't likely, as an NCO, you'd go around shooting them for refusing an order.

3. Most normal people don't want to go to jail for murder. So, your assertion "a number of them are shot" is highly unlikely. Maybe, on rare occassion - just like when subordinates kill their superiors. It's rare. It's not "a number." Although, in Viet Nam, there were "a number" of fraggings, (killing of superiors) from what I've been told, and I would assume these killings were the result of a long period of bad blood between the superior and the troop/s. Not simply an order given, and/or refused.

[wli]

29. I buy all those things

It should be pretty rare, and the circumstances are probably different from my naive description the few times it does happen. I'm not entirely sure how much it would add up to (for all I know it could be 1 or less per war or per decade).

[RamboLiberal]

35. You'd think this would be fodder for the 24/7 cable nets

You know, the f'kers who want to talk about nothing but a missing white woman in Aruba day 60something, or the missing groom from cruise ship.

But they wouldn't cover a story like this because:
1-It involves a person of color.
2-You don't question the U.S. Military.

Bet her parents don't get on Today, GMA, Larry King, Paula Zahn, Nancy Grace, Scarbourough, H&C, O' Reilly, Rita Crosby, etc.

[blondeatlast]

38. This should be on the home page. Another nomination, please? nt

[Cha]

44. Done. n/t

[Janice325]

39. That is just so sad.

As much as I can't stand Nancy Grace, I wish she could take this story and do some investigative reporting and get the true story of Ms. Johnson's death.
Just my two cents.
My sympathy goes out to Ms. Johnson's family. I hope they get some real answers to their daughter's demise.

[Cha]

40. Especially if your dad is a Dr..

They know about things that some of us don't think about unless we watch too much CSI.

I would have the body exhumed for an independent autopsy..I would want to know.