United American Patriots (UAP) is honored to have recently announced that 1SG John Hatley will be released from federal prison on October 16, 2020. He was held in Leavenworth, Kansas.

This is incredible news, but do you know the full story about what 1SG Hatley was falsely accused of and imprisoned for?

In 2009, Hatley, a highly decorated 20-year combat veteran, was convicted of four counts of murder for the supposed deaths of four Iraqi males. John was tried by the Commander, Headquarters, 7th Army Joint National Training Command, in Vilseck, Germany in April 2009. On 16 April 2009, 1SG John Hatley was court-martialed and found guilty of premeditated murder and conspiracy to commit premeditated murder of four Iraqi detainees in 2007 near Baghdad.

Here’s the thing — he didn’t do what he was accused of. He didn’t even commit a crime.

Hatley was sentenced to life in prison with an opportunity for parole, reduction to E-1, and forfeiture of all pay and allowances. This is despite the lack of any ballistic or forensic evidence but based solely on the testimony of a few soldiers who had taken pre-trial agreements in exchange for testimony leading to his conviction.

There were no bodies, no brass, and no evidence of a crime.

In fact, according to evidence and testimony presented at Hatley’s trial, the Iraqis were taken into custody after an exchange of fire with Hatley’s unit.

The Army Criminal Investigation Division (CID) conducted a thorough investigation, which included sending a seven-man Army dive team to search the canal where the alleged victims were supposedly left. They also met a purported “eyewitness” that took them to all the relevant areas in Iraq. Despite the rigorous efforts of the investigating team, they did not find one shred of physical or forensic evidence to suggest that any men were missing, much less killed. 

Additionally, CID conducted extensive interviews with the family members of the detained men who stated that no one from their family was missing. CID also interviewed the neighbors of the surrounding areas who stated that no one from their neighborhood was missing. Finally, the man who owned the plot where the bodies were allegedly disposed of was also interviewed. He stated that he had no knowledge of any killings or had heard of anyone being killed.

Again, the only “evidence” was from compelled statements from a few soldiers who claimed that “four men of middle-eastern descent” were killed. The additional charges, which were either dismissed or for which Hatley was found “not guilty,” were all alleged by the same individual who was pending legal action that made the original allegations. Despite the verdict, former Company A members have remained loyal to Hatley.

Now that Hatley’s parole has finally been granted after 10 long years, the fight continues to obtain a full pardon and to clear his name once and for all.

UAP is a non-profit organization that informs the President, Congress, and the American Public; funds legal representation; and provides reintegration support for America’s Warriors who have been wrongfully accused and unjustly convicted of “war crimes.”