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Topic: Watada mistrial!
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Frustrated Mess
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 8312
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posted 07 February 2007 07:38 PM
http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/020707Z.shtml quote: Fort Lewis, Washington - The court-martial of First Lt. Ehren Watada, a commissioned US Army officer who refused deployment to Iraq on the basis that he believed the war was illegal, has ended in a mistrial, a military court judge ruled Wednesday. In a stunning defeat for military prosecutors, Lt. Col. John Head, the military judge presiding over Watada's court-martial, said he had no choice but to declare a mistrial because military prosecutors and Watada's defense attorney could not reach an agreement regarding the characterization of a stipulation agreement Watada signed before the start of his court-martial. The government characterizes the stipulation agreement as an admission of guilt by Watada for "missing movement" and making statements against the Iraq war that resulted in charges of conduct unbecoming an officer and a gentleman.
From: doom without the gloom | Registered: Feb 2005
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Davis
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 13198
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posted 24 February 2007 10:49 PM
Message from Davis Benjamin Let's campaign to get Ehren Watada selected as Barack Obama' or Hilary Clinton's running mate in 2008 after we free him from the US military. Just last week after the mistrial, I wrote to the US military commander @ Fort Bragg demanding that he gracefully release Lt. Watada from military service based on the 'double jeopardy' rule.{see below}I guess US miltary support of its own troops stops being graceful when its soldiers not only refuse to serve in IRAQ-nam but call it an "illegal invasion." Two weeks previouslt, Lt. Watada's civilian lawyer Eric Seitz noted the relevance of a mistrial, “The mistrial is very likely to have the consequence of ending this case because a retrial would be a case of double jeopardy based on the military rules for courts martial and applicable case law.” Should the Army proceed with a second trial, Seitz said he would seek dismissal of the charges with prejudice so they could not be again filed. “I do not expect a retrial to ever occur,” stated Seitz. Army Captain Mark Kim, Lt. Watada’s appointed military defense lawyer, noted that he agreed with Seitz’s conclusions. John Junker, a University of Washington law professor independently consulted by the Seattle Post-Intelligencer newspaper explained, “You can't just stop in the middle and say, ‘I don't like the way it's going’ and start over. If the defendant objected, it does raise the possibility" of double jeopardy. Junker noted, “That doctrine comes from the Constitution.” Read full report ~peace
From: Toronto, canada | Registered: Sep 2006
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Davis
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 13198
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posted 24 February 2007 10:56 PM
Message from Davis Benjamin I'm reposting the full report link on Lt. Watada's mistrial from Feb 9th, 2007 below...Read full report by Courage to Resist organizer, Jeff Paterson ~peace
From: Toronto, canada | Registered: Sep 2006
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Davis
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 13198
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posted 26 February 2007 09:39 AM
Message from Davis BenjaminMessage from D.Mirza Last night, Sunday, Feb 25, service members, including Iraq Veterans Against War members, appeared on CBS's 60 Minutes. US troops told Lara Logan why they are appealing to Congress for an immediate withdrawal from Iraq. The Appeal for Redress is gaining new signatures everyday. Please look online for more information at; http://www.appealforredress.org/ http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/...n2505412.shtml ~peace
From: Toronto, canada | Registered: Sep 2006
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