Michael Chase Behenna (born May 18, 1983) is a former United States Army First Lieutenant who was convicted of the 2008 murder of Ali Mansur Mohamed during the occupation of Iraq.

[7] Behenna graduated from Edmond North High School in 2002 and, after witnessing the September 11th attacks, expressed interest in enlisting in the U.S. Army, wanting to "fight terrorists" and "work his way up from the bottom".

Behenna chose University of Central Oklahoma and graduated in 2006, with a degree in General Studies minoring in history and military science.

[9] During his tour of duty in Iraq, Behenna's platoon conducted counterinsurgency operations in the Salahuddin province with a focus on the towns of Mezra, Hajaj and Butoma.

Behenna made efforts to develop ties with local Iraqis as part of his counter-insurgency mission and, already fluent in Spanish, began to teach himself Arabic.

He was known to host cookouts with his platoon for local interpreters, engage with civilians on the street and encouraged his soldiers to learn about Iraqi culture and to eat their food.

[2] On May 5, Behenna received information on a man suspected by military intelligence to be working for Al-Qaeda in Iraq, which they believed was responsible for the April 21 attack.

On May 16, while returning the prisoner to a checkpoint as ordered, Behenna and his platoon stopped at a bridge in the northern oil refinery town of Baiji and, with the help of his Iraqi interpreter, nicknamed "Harry",[2] tried to question Mansur on the April 21 attacks.

[11] After the killing, Behenna ordered the platoon back to the base and the next day local villagers found Mansur's naked, burned body in the culvert.

[2] After Behenna's Article 32 hearing, his family hired defense attorney Jack Zimmerman, a former United States Marine, military trial judge and Vietnam veteran.

Warner struck a plea bargain with the prosecution where he agreed to plead guilty to assault, maltreatment of a subordinate and making a false statement in exchange for not being charged with premeditated murder and for his future testimony against Behenna.

[12] The defense contended that Behenna was under an acute stress disorder as a result of the attacks on his platoon and that during the shooting he had acted in self-defense after Mansur lunged at him.