Two Idaho Congressional leaders are urging military officials to grant clemency to a soldier raised in Idaho and convicted for planting evidence and killing an unarmed Iraqi citizen. 

Sgt. Evan Vela, of St. Anthony, faces a possible life sentence after a military jury in February found him guilty of murder without premeditation in the 2007 killing of an Iraqi man outside Baghdad.  The Army sniper’s case is on appeal. 

However, Republicans Sen. Mike Crapo and Rep. Mike Simpson say Vela was simply following the orders of his superiors – the same claims Vela argued during the investigation and trial.  Crapo and Simpson have each written letters to Army leaders saying the facts of the case warrant clemency for Vela.