Walter B. Jones: “I have spoken at length on the floor about Second Lt. Ilario Pantano, a Marine who served this Nation bravely in both…”

“I have spoken at length on the floor about Second Lt. Ilario Pantano, a Marine who served this Nation bravely in both gulf wars. During his service in Iraq last year, Lt. Pantano was faced with a very difficult decision that caused him to make a split-second decision to defend his life. He felt threatened by the actions of two insurgents under his watch, and in an act of self-defense he had to resort to force. Two and a half months later, a sergeant under his command who never even saw the shooting accused him of murder. Lt. Pantano now faces two counts of murder. Mr. Speaker, what is happening to this young man is an injustice. Lt. Pantano has served this Nation in great honor. My personal experiences with him and his family convince me that he is a dedicated family man and a man who loves his corps and his country; but I am not the only one who believes he is innocent. I have read excerpts of pieces from the Washington Times and respected journalist Mona Charen defending Lt. Pantano. I have received letters and e-mails from Vietnam veterans who sympathize with him and ask that I do something to help him. They know what it is like to be in a battle with an unconventional enemy. One second can make the difference between life and death. I have read excerpts from his fitness report in which his superiors praise his leadership and talent. In that report, his superior officer evaluated ``accomplished infantry leader.…”