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West Point stands by punishment for cadet in LaBelle incident
houston chronicle ^ | June 6,2011 | Allan Turner

Posted on 06/07/2011 12:54:39 PM PDT by freedommom

West Point officials will stand by their decision to kick Houston senior cadet Richard King out of the Army military academy in the wake of a March altercation involving soul singer Patti LaBelle at George Bush Intercontinental Airport.

The academy’s Monday statement was the first regarding the attack, which left the 23-year-old man with a concussion and lingering symptoms. King’s attorney, John Raley, had asked the academy to reconsider the dismissal.

Although academy officials did not discuss details of the King case, the former student said he had been placed in an 18-month, active-duty mentorship program for violating the academy’s code of honor. At the end of the program, he would be eligible to apply for re-admission.

"The U.S. Military Academy completed a thorough investigation regarding the incident that occurred at the Houston airport on March 11, 2011..." academy officials said. "Following this investigation, the Academy chain of command took appropriate action in accordance with Army Regulation 210-26."

Raley today said that King was "a good soldier and will proudly serve his country wherever he is deployed."

"When he completes his 18 month tour of duty, he will reapply to West Point," Raley said in an email. "...Richard was honored to be a West Point cadet, and, God willing, will be one again."

Raley likened West Point’s decision to drop King from the academy to a judge’s decision in court. "We must respect the decision regardless of our personal feelings," he said.

Last week, King’s attorney filed a civil suit against LaBelle, three of her employees, an airport taxi dispatcher and the city of Houston to obtain actual and punitive damages in connection with the incident.

(Excerpt) Read more at chron.com ...


TOPICS: Chit/Chat; Local News; Military/Veterans
KEYWORDS: lawsuit; pattilabelle; richardking; westpoint
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1 posted on 06/07/2011 12:54:42 PM PDT by freedommom
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To: freedommom

This is just so wrong on so many levels.


2 posted on 06/07/2011 12:56:17 PM PDT by Melas (Sent via Galaxy Tab)
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To: Melas

Let’s hope this 8-12 month mentorship program will allow our Cadet to heal, pursue his claim in court and return with full health and complete attention to his career at West Point.


3 posted on 06/07/2011 1:00:47 PM PDT by Constitutions Grandchild
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To: freedommom

The article is unclear as to whether the airport security video backs up the cadet’s story or not.


4 posted on 06/07/2011 1:01:43 PM PDT by Eva
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To: freedommom

I hope he sues LaBelle and her goon squad for all they are worth.


5 posted on 06/07/2011 1:04:22 PM PDT by passionfruit (When illegals become legal, even they won't do the work Americans won't do)
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To: Eva

>The article is unclear as to whether the airport security video backs up the cadet’s story or not.

The video is on You Tube and thoroughly backs up his story. He was basically walking by using his cell phone and got roughed up.


6 posted on 06/07/2011 1:04:50 PM PDT by drbuzzard (different league)
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To: freedommom

Bull$h!t !!

The new unwritten rule, p!$$ off some special person defined as a celebrity, corporate/gov’t executive and you will be made an example of !


7 posted on 06/07/2011 1:06:36 PM PDT by CORedneck
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To: freedommom
The video makes it look like they assaulted the kid pretty good.
8 posted on 06/07/2011 1:07:49 PM PDT by Vision ("Did I not say to you that if you would believe, you would see the glory of God?" John 11:40)
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To: Constitutions Grandchild

Hopefully when he goes back to West Point we have a new Commander in Chief.

And yet again HPD has gone down the sewer. The work of chief Sam Nuchia has gone down the drain.


9 posted on 06/07/2011 1:08:02 PM PDT by Fred Hayek (FUBO, the No Talent Pop Star pResident.)
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To: freedommom

Outrage! But that is what you get for joining today’s politically correct military.

My advise, don’t join the Army. They are as corrupt as any other government agency.


10 posted on 06/07/2011 1:10:17 PM PDT by FightThePower! (Fight the powers that be!)
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To: freedommom

Good news: He may win millions of dollars from LaBelle — and possibly from the USMA, although they may be immune from suit.

Bad news: Where does he go to get his good name back? “Kicked out of West Point for being in a drunken fight” is technically true but woefully unfair.


11 posted on 06/07/2011 1:10:44 PM PDT by pogo101
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To: freedommom

Obviously West Point knows something we don’t. I tend to trust their judgement on this one.

Believe me, Hudson High could care less who Patti LaBelle is or isn’t.


12 posted on 06/07/2011 1:11:44 PM PDT by Terabitten ("Don't retreat. RELOAD!!" -Sarah Palin)
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To: Eva

The video is there in the article.


13 posted on 06/07/2011 1:12:58 PM PDT by Jemian (One cannot have a media frenzy unless it is started by ... THE MEDIA!)
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To: drbuzzard

The kid got too close to princess labelle’s luggage, so he got beaten. After the beating, the cops had their pictures taken with the celebrity.

welcome to obamaerica.


14 posted on 06/07/2011 1:16:30 PM PDT by Texas resident (Hunkered Down)
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To: freedommom

I assume members of the Senate or House have been contacted and have seen the video. Do any of them have the balls to call the head of West Point to testify. I doubt it.


15 posted on 06/07/2011 1:16:53 PM PDT by FightThePower! (Fight the powers that be!)
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To: drbuzzard

Thanks, I don’t have high speed internet, so I avoid videos. That is what I thought that I read.

So, did the academy go with the accusation of public drunkenness? What is the regulation that he is said to have violated?


16 posted on 06/07/2011 1:18:18 PM PDT by Eva
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To: passionfruit

I second that.


17 posted on 06/07/2011 1:19:11 PM PDT by Eva
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To: Terabitten

Correct. It was an honor code violation - he probably lied about drinking when asked about the incident, and then changed his story when the facts began to emerge.


18 posted on 06/07/2011 1:20:24 PM PDT by stormer
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To: Eva

>So, did the academy go with the accusation of public drunkenness? What is the regulation that he is said to have violated?

I am not familiar enough with the regulations to say. I imagine the honor code is available somewhere.


19 posted on 06/07/2011 1:22:01 PM PDT by drbuzzard (different league)
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To: drbuzzard

They mentioned in the original article that the La Belle people had accused the cadet of being drunk in public, which they knew to be a violation of the honor code. The Cadet had had 2 drinks aboard the airplane.


20 posted on 06/07/2011 1:25:36 PM PDT by Eva
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