A Bitter Anniversary For the Family of a Murdered Soldier

By Philip Barron
Posted on July 27, 2007, Printed on December 22, 2009
http://www.alternet.org/bloggers//58151/

Today, July 27th, marks what should have been a joyous celebration, perhaps including a party filled with family and friends. Today would have been LaVena Lynn Johnson’s 22nd birthday.

The month of July also marks another solemn milestone.

Two years ago this month the body of PFC Johnson was returned to her family and laid to rest, but there can be no rest for her her family and friends. The military continues to claim that LaVena took her own life while serving in Iraq, despite several indications to the contrary.

The details of LaVena's death have been shrouded in lies and deception - the kind of official obfuscation that surrounds the death of Cpl. Pat Tillman and other fallen soldiers. Let’s honor PFC LaVena Johnson with a push for ten thousand signatures on the petition to reopen the investigation into her death.

Philip Barron is a St. Louis writer and author of the blog Waveflux.

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View this story online at: http://www.alternet.org/bloggers//58151/