Prosecutor of Timothy McVeigh now seeks justice for soldier son

Officials seek new trial for soldier

Mark Schlachtenhaufen
The Edmond Sun

EDMOND — An Edmond mother seeking justice for her soldier son said she is hopeful but is not sure efforts to get a new trial will work.

On March 20, 1st Lt. Michael Behenna was sentenced to 25 years in prison for killing an Iraqi detainee he took aside for questioning.

Behenna’s supporters say Ali Mansur was a member of an Al Qaeda cell operating in Behenna’s area of operation, and Mansur was suspected of organizing an attack on Behenna’s platoon in April 2008. Two U.S. soldiers were killed in that attack.

Army officials ordered the release of Mansur, and Behenna was ordered to return him to his home. While Behenna was questioning him, the shooting occurred.

Supporters say during the interrogation Mansur attacked Behenna, who acted in self defense. Prosecutors said the killing was premeditated murder, that Behenna shot Mansur “execution style.”

Behenna’s mother, Vicki Behenna, said her son deserves a new trial because prosecutors withheld evidence allowing them to argue that Lt. Behenna murdered Mansur while seated, when forensic experts agree Mansur was standing, corroborating her son’s testimony.

Vicki Behenna knows law. She is a professor in Oklahoma City University’s School of Law and she was a lead member of the team that prosecuted Timothy McVeigh in the Oklahoma City bombing case.
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