Army Officer Faces Charges of Aiding Enemy in Iraq

American Forces Press Service ^

[SandRat]

WASHINGTON, April 26, 2007 – U.S. military officials in Iraq have charged an Army officer with aiding the enemy by providing an unmonitored cell phone to detainees, along with other crimes.

Lt. Col. William H. Steele has been charged with offenses under four articles of the Uniform Code of Military Justice.

Officials emphasized that the charges constitute only an accusation of wrongdoing, and that Steele is presumed innocent unless and until he’s proven guilty in legal proceedings that follow.

Officials allege that Steele aided the enemy by providing an unmonitored cellular phone to detainees between Oct. 1, 2005, and Oct. 31, 2006, in violation of Article 104 of the UCMJ.

A second charge, under Article 134, alleges that Steele had classified material he was not authorized to possess, and that he willfully kept it and failed to deliver it to the proper authority.

Under Article 133 of the UCMJ, Steele also is charged with conduct unbecoming of an officer for allegedly fraternizing with the daughter of a detainee, and for allegedly providing special privileges to and maintaining an inappropriate relationship with an interpreter.

Officials also are charging Steele with storing classified information in his living space, improperly marking classified information, disobeying an order from the 89th Military Police Brigade deputy commander, possessing pornographic videos, and being derelict in his duties by failing to fulfill his obligations as an approving authority in the expenditure of field ordering officer funds – all under the UCMJ’s Article 92.

(From a Multinational Corps Iraq news release.)

[SandRat]

I'm not pleased to report this and hope that he wins at the Art. 32 and doen't have to go through a Court-Martial.

[SandRat]

This is disturbing on many different levels and for many different reasons.

[xcamel]

Unless he is a real traitor, then he should be shot.

[operation clinton cleanup]

Officials allege that Steele aided the enemy by providing an unmonitored cellular phone to detainees between Oct. 1, 2005, and Oct. 31, 2006

Who paid the bill? If the US taxpayer did, I want to see the phone records!

[em2vn]

Are you nuts?

[IllumiNaughtyByNature]

SR, I read the post and don’t understand your reply. I do not have a military background.

[Yo-Yo]

832. ART. 32. INVESTIGATION

(a) No charge or specification may be referred to a general court-martial for trial until a through and impartial investigation of all the matters set forth therein has been made. This investigation shall include inquiry as to the truth of the matter set forth in the charges, consideration of the form of charges, and recommendation as to the disposition which should be made of the case in the interest of justice and discipline.

(b) The accused shall be advised of the charges against him and of his right to be represented at that investigation as provided in section 838 of this title (article 38) and in regulations prescribed under that section. At that investigation full opportunity shall be given to the accused to cross-examine witnesses against him if they are available and to present anything he may desire in his own behalf, either in defense or mitigation, and the investigation officer shall examine available witnesses requested by the accused. If the charges are forwarded after the investigation, they shall be accompanied by a statement of the substance of the testimony taken on both sides and a copy thereof shall be given to the accused.

(c) If an investigation of the subject matter of an offense has been conducted before the accused is charged with the offense, and if the accused was present at the investigation and afforded the opportunities for representation, cross-examination, and presentation prescribed in subsection

(b), no further investigation of that charge is necessary under this article unless it is demanded by the accused after he is informed of the charge. A demand for further investigation entitles the accused to recall witnesses for further cross-examination and to offer any new evidence in his own behalf.

(d) The requirements of this article are binding on all persons administering this chapter but failure to follow them does not constitute judicial error.

[JasonC]

"failing to fulfill his obligations as an approving authority in the expenditure of field ordering officer funds"

Somehow methinks this is the real underlying and motivating charge, and the rest amounts to an accusation of being single, male, and marginally less omniscent than God.

[IllumiNaughtyByNature]

So let me see if I get this, in reference to the original post by SandRat (pinged because his name is used, as per FR rules)

The article 32 is the investigation, but I don't understand how the post referred to him "not having to go through the article 32"? Is it because there is so much proof that one is not needed?

Thanks in advance.

[StarCMC]

Not good - that’s for sure. If he’s guilty, he should hang. However, seeing the press’ penchant for convicting our military members base on half-truths and innuendo spoken by our esteemed (ahem!) Congresscritters, I have to say I doubt the veracity of the story.

[StarCMC]

I assure you, SandRat is most definitely NOT nuts.

[StarCMC]

the rest amounts to an accusation of being single, male, and marginally less omniscent than God.

ROFL - you are most likely correct.

[StarCMC]

It means, I think, that he would have the charges dropped before he gets to Court Martial. Like you, I am not military, so I could be waaaaaaay off.

[Yo-Yo]

What SandRat said was that he hoped the Lt. Col. wins his Article 32, which is the investigation into the merits of the charges, and doesn't have to go through court martial.

Article 32 is not the court martial, and you cannot waive an Article 32 no matter how much "proof" there is, because the Article 32 is the process in which the evidence in the case is uncovered.

If an Article 32 determines that the charges are unfounded, then there will be no court martial.

[MovementConservative]

This sounds like a very mentally unstable man.

[SandRat]

Given recent indications of misconduct by Gov’t Service (Civilian) CID (Army Criminal Investigation Department) and NCIS (Naval Criminal Investigation Service) we’ve all become more than a little jaded on their “Proper Investigations that protected and assured the ‘suspects’ rights” claim.

I further refer you to the Thomas More Law Center and the USMC LTC that they are defending. http://www.thomasmore.org.

[IllumiNaughtyByNature]

Thank you for your input. It makes the article 32 process more clear.

[jude24]

The Thomas More Law Center are media whores who don't know jack-squat about the law. They completely screwed up the Kitzmiller v. Dover Area School District case.

The core competency of the Thomas More Law Center is writing press releases to get donations.