Colby Vokey

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Colby Vokey is an American constitutional and criminal defense lawyer at Fitzpatrick Hagood Smith & Uhl, LLP, and a retired lieutenant colonel in the United States Marine Corps.[1] He has been active both in general arguments against extrajudicial detention and Guantanamo Bay detention camp. Specifically, in 2006 and 2007, he was the chief military defense counsel for Omar Khadr, a Canadian citizen detained while a juvenile.

Education

education[2]
1987 B.Sc. Texas A&M
1998 J.D. University of North Dakota

Military career

In 1987, after graduating from Texas A&M, Vokey began active duty in the Marine Corps.[2] Vokey served as an artillery officer during the 1991 Gulf War.[3]

Vokey had been the subject of controversy during his efforts to defend Omar Khadr one of the dozen captives held in the Guantanamo Bay detention camps, in Cuba who eventually faced charges before a Guantanamo military commission.[1]

Gag order and investigation

In the fall of 2006 Vokey, and his paralegal Sergeant Heather Cerveny, had a gag order imposed on them after Cerveny filed an affidavit in which she described GIs in Guantanamo's enlisted club bragging about routine abuse of the captives. Muneer Ahmad, Khadr's civilian lawyer reported that Vokey and Cerveny had been ordered not to comment on conditions at Guantanamo.[4]

The report quotes a statement released on behalf of Colonel Carol Joyce, the Marines' chief defense counsel, who:

... had directed him not to communicate with the media "pending her review of the facts. This is necessary to ensure all actions of counsel are in compliance with regulations establishing professional standards for military attorneys,"

Colonel Richard Basset was the officer assigned to investigate the allegations in Cerveny's affidavit.[5][6] He returned from his investigation on November 15, 2006.[7] He submitted his report on December 10, 2006.[5][6] The report was not immediately made public.[8][9][10] A thirteen page summary of the inquiry was made public in February 2007.[11] It was heavily redacted.

Post-military career

Vokey announced in October 2007 that he would be resigning from the Marine Corps in May 2008, citing harassment over his efforts on behalf of Omar Khadr.[12]

The San Diego Union Tribune profiled Vokey following his retirement.[13] The Union Tribune noted he had been forced into retirement even though another of his clients, Staff Sergeant Frank Wuterich, who faces charges for the murder of two dozen civilians in Haditha, Iraq, has not had his court martial.

In 2010 Vokey worked on behalf of Michael Wagnon a member of the 5th Stryker Brigade alleged to have played a role in a conspiracy to shoot Afghan civilians, for thrills.[14]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Daniel Zwerdling. Respected Marine Lawyer Alleges Military Injustices, National Public Radio, 2007-10-31. Retrieved on 2007-10-31.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Lieutenant Colonel Colby C. Vokey, to lecture at UND School of Law, University of North Dakota, 2008-10-06. Retrieved on 2011-04-22. mirror
  3. ↑ Lieutenant Colonel Colby C. Vokey, to lecture at UND School of Law, University of North Dakota, 2008-10-06. Retrieved on 2011-04-22. mirror
  4. ↑ 2 Ordered Not to Discuss Gitmo Claims, Washington Post, 2006-10-14.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Col. Submits Guantanamo Investigation, The Guardian, 2006-12-10. Retrieved on 2011-04-22.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Col. Submits Guantanamo Investigation: U.S. Army colonel completes, turns in report on Guantanamo abuse investigation, CBS News, 2006-12-10. Retrieved on 2011-04-22.
  7. ↑ U.S. Army colonel investigating abuse allegations returns from Guantanamo, North Carolina Times, 2006-11-16. Retrieved on 2011-04-22.
  8. ↑ Investigator into alleged Guantanamo abuse accuses Marine of false complaint, International Herald Tribune, 2007-02-02. Retrieved on 2007-10-02.
  9. ↑ Michael Melia. Military: No Gitmo Guard Abuse Evident: U.S. military investigation reports no evidence guards beat Guantanamo detainees, CBS News, 2007-02-07. Retrieved on 2007-10-31.
  10. ↑ Michael Melia. Col. Submits Guantanamo Investigation, Washington Post, 2006=12-10. Retrieved on 2007-10-02.
  11. ↑ Richard Bassett. Army Regulation (AR) 15-6 Investigation into Alleged Abuse of Detainees at Joint Task Force -- Guantanamo2009-08-04Department of DefenseGuantanamo;abuse, United States Department of Defense, 2007-02-05. Retrieved on 2009-08-04. mirror
  12. ↑ Outspoken US Marines defense lawyer resigning, labeling Guantanamo justice 'horrific', The Jurist, 2007-10-31. Retrieved on 2011-04-22. “Lt. Col. Colby Vokey, the outspoken US Marine Corps chief defense lawyer for the western US, is resigning from his post effective May 1, 2008, calling the military legal system at Guantanamo Bay "horrific" and a "sham" and urging corrective action to address abuses within the general military justice system, NPR reported Tuesday.” mirror
  13. ↑ Rick Rogers. Marine lawyer has sought judicial reform: Officer was retired over his objections, San Diego Union Tribune, 2008-08-18. Retrieved on 2008-08-18. mirror
  14. ↑ Adam Ashton. Man accused in Afghan killing could be released from jail, The News Tribune, 2011-04-22. Retrieved on 2011-04-22. “Colby Vokey, Wagnon’s attorney, contends prosecutors used that time to develop a pretrial agreement with codefendant Spc. Jeremy Morlock. Morlock refused to testify before Liles at Wagnon’s November hearing.” mirror
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