Capt. Carl Bjork’s verdict—a study in trickle down policy from Washington

By Kay B. Day

Capt. Carl Bjork served with honor in Iraq.Capt. Carl Bjork came onto our radar at The US Report last year, after the government charged him with two counts of premeditated murder and other charges. The charges stemmed from accusations levied by a man named Col. Ibrahim Hamid Jaza, and a few of Hamid's fellow former Iraqi police who were detainees in prison.

The crimes allegedly occurred  in Hit during Bjork’s 2006-2007 deployment. It took the government almost three years to bring charges and then the government asked for delays.

Bjork’s trial was this week; his parents traveled to Iraq.

This week news of the verdicts trickled in—Bjork was acquitted on two charges of premeditated murder. Those charges could have led to life sentences.

Bjork, however, was convicted of two counts of  negligence in the deaths—those charges carried a max sentence of 3 years each. He was also convicted on the charge of reckless endangerment for allegedly setting a booby trap of a weapons cache, a charge that could carry a one-year sentence.

Having followed this case since its inception, I can honestly say I would not have convicted Bjork of anything.

In this morning’s email, Bjork’s sister Erica Bjork Manning responded to a message I’d sent her. I had closed  by telling her I prayed for her brother last night. And thousands of people at the Facebook support group for Bjork have done the same many times.

Erica said, “All of your prayers have born fruit.”

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Capt. Bjork’s attorney Kelley to file motion to dismiss

by Kay B. Day

Victor Kelley, founder of the National Military Justice Group, told The US Report he will have ‘multiple motions’ in the case of Capt. Carl Bjork. Bjork faces murder charges based on accusations leveled by a former Iraqi police chief in Hit. Kelley said one motion will ask for dismissal for lack of a speedy trial. “The government investigation was complete in September, 2008,” he said. “For the life of me, I don’t know why we’re getting around to a trial…if the case survives it will be tried April 22.” Kelley spoke to TUSR by phone on Friday.

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Milblogger’s post a backgrounder for Capt. Carl Bjork’s case

By Kay B. Day

Capt. Carl Bjork with children in Iraq. Those who served with Bjork said he read the Koran in order to better understand the Iraqi people. [Photo courtesy of Bjork family.]Following a link within the statistics program here at The US Report, I was surprised to find information indirectly related to the case of Capt. Carl Bjork. I found the de facto backgrounder in a post written in 2007 by Michael Yon who was embedded in Hit. Yon is a writer who also served as a Green Beret and has extensive experience reporting from war zones.

Ironically I found Yon’s relevant article by chance, but his very detailed account of events in Hit in Anbar Province details one of Bjork’s accusers before the captain faced any charges. There were a few surprises.

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Capt. Bjork legal fund set up

by Kay B. Day

The family of Capt. Carl Bjork, with urging from friends and supporters, has set up a legal fund to help with his defense. A decorated soldier serving in the U.S. Army, Bjork has been praised by many who have served with him. One soldier who wishes to remain anonymous told The US Report by phone his impression of Bjork, “He’s the ultimate American soldier. He does everything by the book. He even read the Koran before he went to Iraq. He would never do anything unlawful.”

Friends and family of Capt. Carl Bjork (U.S. Army) have set up a defense fund for the soldier who received a Bronze Star and who now stands accused of murder in a case that, based on what is known, makes little sense.
At the website, a synopsis sums up what is known about the case against Bjork: “His accusers, who are the only witnesses/evidence in this alleged crime, are four disgraced former Iraqi police who are imprisoned for the murder of two Iraqi civilians - believed to be Iraqi al queda. Evidence suggests that one of these Iraqi police, an Iraqi Police Colonel, was motivated by revenge to commit these murders, as his brother was beheaded in a public forum by the Iraqi al queda killed in this crime. Now these disgraced Iraqis are looking for a "get out of jail free" ticket, and have accused Carl of ordering the murders to take place. Carl was not even present at the scene of these murders. He simply trained the Iraqi police as part of his duty.”

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Capt. Bjork’s case referred by general for court martial by March

U.S. Army captain Carl Bjork with children in Iraq. [Photo courtesy of Capt. Bjork's family.]Capt. Carl Bjork, accused of reckless endangerment (1 count) and premeditated murder (2 counts), will proceed to court martial by March, 120 days after he was officially charged and more than 3 years after the alleged acts occurred. Bjork’s attorney Victor Kelley told The US Report in December the accusers are 3 former Iraqi police and a former Iraqi intel officer who are currently detainees in Iraq.

Kelley founded and practices with The National Military Justice Group. He is a retired military officer.

On a blog established by Bjork’s supporters, there’s a brief post announcing the government’s decision to proceed.

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Capt. Bjork’s story expands with media coverage, personal website

By Kay B. Day

Capt. Carl Bjork (photo from Support Carl Bjork Facebook group]

As Capt. Carl Bjork awaits word on whether he will be court-martialed for the deaths of two Iraqis, Wasim Ibrahim Al-Kubaysi and Gayth Shakir Saba’ar, his story is expanding because of increased media coverage and a personal website.

Bjork didn’t kill the men; they were executed by a police chief named Ibrahim Hamid Jaza and a couple of his Iraqi colleagues. The Denver Post reported, “Sometime between Nov. 15, 2006, and the end of the year, Jaza and two other Iraqi police officials executed Al-Kubaysi and Saba’ar, according to the Army charge sheet…The suspects told investigators they had been ordered to carry out those killings by the officer in charge of training them—Capt. Carl Bjork.”

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