general order #1 Tag Archives — Court-Martial Trial Practice Blog

Up periscope – 190110

January 19, 2010 | The Law Office of Philip D. Cave

Army authorities are now claiming that Galesburg soldier Spc. Billy Miller had [AP] on his computer as well as alleged [CP] . Miller’s tour in Afghanistan has been involuntarily extended by the army while it investigates charges of possession of [CP] and failing to obey a general order. . . . But now military officials say the failing to obey a general order charge relates to pornography involving adults found on the Illinois National Guard soldier’s computer. Soldiers are not allowed to possess pornography in Afghanistan[.]

Galesburg.com reports.

A child pornography charge and a related count filed against an Illinois Army National Guard soldier in Afghanistan do not stem from family photos of a young relative, a U.S. Army spokesman told The Associated Press on Tuesday. . . . "In this case however, it was important to set the record straight with regards to the photos of the (relative) being portrayed as evidence leading to [CP] charges in this case. They are not," Clementson wrote.

Up periscope weekend edition – 170110

January 17, 2010 | The Law Office of Philip D. Cave

A military court in Kuwait has convicted a third soldier in connection with the August suicide of 19-year-old Keiffer Wilhelm. Staff Sgt. Enoch Chatman of West Covina, Calif., received three months’ confinement and a written reprimand from the commanding general and was reduced two pay levels to a specialist. Chatman was among four soldiers charged with a variety of crimes after Wilhelm’s self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head on Aug. 4.

Mansfield News Journal reports.

A war resister who fled the U.S. for Canada, but was deported to face a court-martial, has been released from confinement. Cliff Cornell spent less than a year in a military prison at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina, and was released this morning [15 January 2010]. Cornell, who fled the U.S. for Canada in 2005 to avoid having to fight in Iraq, wants to return to Gabriola Island, B.C., Canada.

Mother sends son child-porn now he stays in Afghanistan

January 14, 2010 | The Law Office of Philip D. Cave

GALESBURG, Illinois – Tonight a Quad City area soldier is in Afghanistan being forced to stay to face charges connected to pictures his mother sent to him. The mother says the pictures were designed to ease the homesickness of life on the warfront but she had no idea they would lead to a child pornography investigation and months of wondering whether the accusations would bring charges.

The child is a relative whom the family says Billy treated as his own child when the girl was diagnosed with cancer as her father went through boot camp. Her father told us he can’t believe the charges, especially since they’re on other family computers and on Facebook pages and no one else has been investigated.

"I feel he is a prisoner of something I sent to him", said Terri, "and I can’t do nothing for him."
The Army says Billy will stay in Afghanistan until he faces court martial or there are other recommendations. The family is worried for Billy’s mental health. They’ve noticed changes that they blame on the months of not knowing and spending nearly 17 months in Afghanistan. They hope he can receive the help he needs soon and hope it comes on American soil.