Azcentral.com reports that:
A U.S. Airman stationed in England is facing a court martial at Luke Air Force Base over charges that he smothered his 11-month old son.
Monstersandcritics.com: has a piece on, “Legal issues snarl German inquiry into airstrike colonel (1st Lead).” While the piece is relevant to criticism of the German commander who ordered an air strike in Afghanistan, I thought it might resonate a little in regard to Italy’s conviction of a U.S. Air Force officer (More on the Italian prosecution on a USAF colonel).
The issue has caused strain between Germany, which has loosened its rules so that its troops in Afghanistan can shoot back, and US General Stanley McChrystal, who is trying to bolster Afghan public support for his International Security Assistance Force (ISAF).
The sad events at Fort Hood have caused some to review the general “crime rate” within the military. Slate’s Daniel Engber has this short piece.
Is There a Lot of Crime on Military Bases?Not as much as you’d think.
That said, major crimes have been in on the rise across all bases since 2003, according to a report (PDF) released in July. Rates of arrests for murder, rape, assault, and arson saw an especially large bump between 2007 and 2008. The study, which was commissioned after six members of the same brigade were charged with homicides over a 12-month period, found that soldiers with more combat experience—and whose units had suffered more casualties—were at greater risk than other soldiers of developing mental illness, conduct problems, and criminal behavior.
CAAFLog has this interesting post and question about a new (?) clause in standard Navy PTA’s that remove good time credit.
This Agreement constitutes my request for, and the convening authority’s approval of, deferment of all confinement suspended pursuant to the terms of this Agreement and deferment for the days of “good time” (as defined by SECNAVINST 1640.9B) that I may earn while in confinement prior to the convening authority taking action on the sentence. The period of deferment will run from the date of sentencing until the date the convening authority acts on the sentence.
And here is CAAFlog’s question:
Robert Don Gifford has provided an update on the Behenna case.
The entire Oklahoma congressional delegation signed a letter for clemency on his behalf.
Recent radiocast from Tulsa radio morning program by host Pat Campbell
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As tallied by NBC News and the Associated Press (and me), they include:
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Stars & Stripes on FORT HOOD, Texas —
A soldier believed to be a trauma psychiatrist opened fire at a U.S. Army base in Fort Hood, Texas on Thursday, unleashing a stream of gunfire that left 12 people dead and 31 wounded. Authorities killed the gunman, and apprehended two other soldiers suspected in what appears to be the worst mass shooting at a U.S. military base.
A law enforcement official identified the gunman as Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan, listed by the Army as part of the services medical corps and was stationed at Darnall Army Medical Center at Fort Hood. Hasan earlier completed a fellowship in Disaster and Preventive Psychiatry with the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences.
AP reports:
A soldier opened fire at a U.S. Army base in Fort Hood, Texas on Thursday, unleashing a stream of gunfire that left 12 people dead and 31 wounded. Authorities killed the gunman, and apprehended two other soldiers suspected in what appears to be the worst mass shooting at a U.S. military base.
Writing with Conviction: Drafting Effective Stipulations of Fact
The Leaf Chronicle reports:
Military training takes many forms, and it doesn’t always involve guns and explosives, occasionally the weapon of choice is law books and verbal assaults.
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces on Wednesday heard the case of an Air Force staff sergeant at Fort Campbell, giving new military lawyers a glimpse of the court in which they will someday argue cases.
Court-Martial Trial Practice Blog
