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Bahrain hazing case.
I posted a while back about an ongoing issue with the dog-handling unit in Bahrain.
Here’s an update from NPR Youth Radio.
Since then, a Navy officer familiar with the case has told NPR that the report recommended courts-martial for both Toussaint and another noncommissioned officer from the unit. The recommendation for courts-martial was never followed. Instead, the case was closed, and Toussaint received a "non-punitive letter of caution" — the military’s equivalent of a slap on the wrist.
Article 32 – Questioning Justice.
This is a piece on a soon to be released documentary on the “Pendleton 8.” The blogosphere and twitter have been all-a-twitter. The documentary is intended to be a look on the Hamdania prosecutions, plus. The plus appears to be:
The film is called Article 32, its title referring to the part of the U.S. Uniform Code of Military Justice that deals with preliminary hearings. It’s about the stress and strain of combat, the morally brutalizing environment of Iraq and the gaps between established rules of engagement and the will to survive.
Sikorski and Stewart feel that these eight men were made political scapegoats. Article 32 is meant to provide a full-scope view of what troops are being ordered to do in Iraq. They say their film sheds new light on both the events that happened that night in Hamdania, and the subsequent murder investigation.
Failures in care of combat stressed Soldiers leading to blue on blue incidents?
| MiamiHerald.com |
An American soldier accused of killing five fellow troops at a counseling center in Iraq had been unraveling for nearly two weeks but the U.S. military lacked clear procedures to monitor him or deal with the deadly shooting spree once it began to unfold, a military report found.
The shooting deaths drew attention to the issues of combat stress and morale as troops have to increasingly serve multiple combat tours because the nation’s volunteer army is stretched thin by two long-running wars. |
| Key lapses in assistance, care, and observation of troubled soldiers. |
Budwah guilty plea coming
A Marine sergeant charged with faking battle injuries to get freebies intended for wounded warriors will plead guilty on Wednesday.
What’s IAC when advising on collateral consequences.
If you’ve been following Miller (sex offender registration issues) and Denedo (immigration issues similar to Padilla)(link to SCOTUSWiki documents), you’ve been following Padilla v. Kentucky.
Here’s a link to United States v. Miller, 63 M.J. 452 (C.A.A.F. 2006).
Here’s a link to an LA Times editorial on Padilla.
ALERT: Second Cox Commission published
Here is a link to the Report of the Second Cox Commission, published today.
More breaks.
Here is another article about Breaker Morant, by John Silvester in the Age.
Rest in Peace?
According to the article, the photo in my previous post on this is of Morant “moments before he was executed,” on 27 February 1902.
Breaker Morant should get a break.
Not completely off point, and it is Sunday. I certainly remember a number of NJS and other military law related CLE’s using the movie Breaker Morant to discuss aspects of military law and justice.
So here is an article in the Sydney Morning Herald by an Australian military lawyer who argues that Morant and his co-accused Handcock should receive a pardon.
“Get it right, you b’s: the fight to clear Breaker Morant’s name,” Steve Meacham, SMH.
Behenna update
The full congressional delegation of two senators and five representatives have petitioned the Army Clemency & Parole Board on behalf of 1Lt Behnna.
tip to Rob Gifford for fowarding articles from the NewsOK, and The Edmond Sun.