Seeks 'Fair Treatment' In Friendly Fire Case  

The American fighter pilot caught up in a tragic case of friendly fire is getting some much-needed support from Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich.

The Governor is asking federal officials to ensure fair treatment of the Illinois fighter pilot Maj. Harry Schmidt charged in the deaths of four Canadian soldiers in Afghanistan. Blagojevich also wants permission for one of his staff members to attend the pilot's court-martial.
 
The governor's request, made in a letter sent Sunday to Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, came after Blagojevich met Maj. Schmidt's wife, Lisa, last month. "I respectfully urge you and the air force commanders pursuing this matter to ensure that Major Schmidt is treated impartially and compassionately," the letter reads. Lisa Schmidt said she and her husband feel the letter will help him get a fair trial.

Schmidt faces a charge of dereliction of duty for mistakenly dropping a bomb on a squad of Canadian troops in April 2002. Schmidt has said he thought the Canadians' live-training exercise was hostile fire aimed at him and another fighter pilot from the Illinois Air National Guard's 183rd Fighter Wing, based in Springfield.

Blagojevich "is the first person who has opted to listen in a year and a half and we just respect him so much for that," Lisa Schmidt said. "He is just not standing by, he is stepping in to provide the check and balance that he is able to do as a politician."

Maj. Schmidt's lawyer has complained that because he has been denied the security clearance needed to discuss certain details of the bombing mission, his client's defense has been hampered. Lisa Schmidt said she has been banned from court proceedings even when they do not involve classified information.

A Department of Defence spokeswoman declined to comment on the letter, saying Rumsfeld was out of the country. Officials at the Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana, where the trial will be held, did not return calls seeking comment.

Blagojevich thought Lisa Schmidt "had very compelling reasons for him to get involved," spokeswoman Angelynne Amores said. "He decided that sending someone down there to the court proceedings was within our realm to do." 

Maj. Schmidt's court-martial is scheduled to begin April 5. He faces up to six months in prison if convicted. He and fellow Illinois Air National Guard pilot Maj. William Umbach, the mission commander, originally were charged with manslaughter and aggravated assault. Military officials then recommended that the charges be dismissed and that Schmidt face possible administrative punishment instead.

Schmidt turned down the offer, and was ordered to be tried on the lesser charge of dereliction of duty. Umbach, a commercial airline pilot from Petersburg, was given a letter of reprimand and allowed to retire.

If convicted, Schmidt faces six months in prison.

FMI:  www.airforce.mil