Dad believes his son will be exonerated

BOISE -- A father speaks out as his son, an Idaho soldier, will soon stand trial accused of committing murder while fighting in Iraq.

Sergeant Evan Vela was arrested and charged with premeditated murder earlier this year while serving in Iraq.

Now, new details could help Vela's case.

Vela’s court marshal is scheduled for next week, and his father, Curtis Carnahan, who lives in Idaho Falls, leaves tomorrow for the Middle East to help defend his son.

NewsChannel 7 spoke with members of Vela's family, as well as military officials today.

There's new information that may help with Evan Vela's defense.  The Washington Post is reporting testimony from two other soldiers suggests Vela and other snipers were encouraged by their superiors to bait and then kill their enemies.

Vela faces a tough penalty -- life in prison without parole. The U.S military has charged him with premeditated murder.

They say he planted evidence on an Iraqi civilian that he killed.

But Vela's father, Curtis Carnahan, paints a very different picture of the situation.  He says his son was just following orders given to him by his superior, something he says is made very clear in court transcripts released yesterday.

"What it means for my son's defense now is it's going to, in my mind, force the government and prosecution to take a serious look at what these sniper squads were actually compelled to do," said Carnahan.

In the transcripts, two other soldiers confirm, under oath, they were given orders, similar to the ones Vela says he was given, to "hunt" insurgents by "baiting" them.

In other words, the soldiers would lay explosives or weapons in high traffic areas. If an Iraqi picked it up, under the terms of engagement, U.S. snipers were ordered to shoot.

Vela is set to be court marshaled in Baghdad on Sept. 30th. 

Carnahan is traveling from Idaho Falls, halfway around the world to be a witness in his son's defense.

"I get to hug him and tell him everything will be fine, American people will be behind this, I told him from the beginning, he's got nothing to fear, the citizens of this country, will get behind him and see why he needs this defense," said Carnahan.

Local and national military officials did not want to go on camera to talk about military tactics.

They say they have not heard of "baiting" but it very well could be used -- sometimes troops form new strategies while in combat zones.

Experts on both sides of this conduct case say it is not clear-cut.

But the father of the accused does not agree and said the truth, which lies in the transcript, will set his son free.

"We've been waiting for quite some time for the truth of this matter to come out," said Carnahan.

He says the charges against his son have taken a heavy emotional and financial toll.

Carnahan and his family have mortgaged their home twice in order to afford a legal team for Evan and the trip to Iraq.