Posted on 11/03/2017 9:04:36 AM PDT by C19fan
Bowe Bergdahl, the solider who deserted his post in Afghanistan in 2009 and was subsequently captured by a Taliban affiliate, will not have to serve jail time for the crime. In a stunning announcement on Friday, the judge deciding the case ordered Bergdahl to pay $1,000 from his salary for the next 10 months. He will be demoted to the rank of E-1 during that time and after paying his fine he will be dishonorably discharged. Prosecutors asked the judge to sentence Bergdahl, who pleaded guilty to the charges, to 14 years in prison.
(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...
Well, with respect to the verdict, about the most he could do would be to disapprove a finding of guilty and dismiss the Specification altogether. Never seen it done before in 39 years as a military and DoD civilian court reporter, but I guess it's possible. All that would do is make the accused less culpable.
With respect to the sentence, the Convening Authority does have to approve the sentence. However, the Convening Authority only has the authority/ability to DECREASE the sentence. If he disapproves it altogether, it becomes "no punishment".
We deserve justice.
Obviously the legal system won’t deliver, but now he’s out in the general population.
I hope someone delivers justice anonymously.
EXACTLY...................looking at this decision and ships running into each other my lifetime respect for the US Military Officer Corp diminishes. It’s as if a whole generation of officers are infected with the “no accountability virus”. All a guy has to say is “I’m sorry” and to our officer corp in all services that seems to be a “get out of jail FREE card”. It’s (i.e. the “no accountability virus”) the kind of “weakness” that leads to DEAD personnel (USS McCain, USS Fitzgerald, USS Cole) and it’s a weakness that so many upper echelon officers over many generations DID NOT exhibit which is what makes it hard to take for average citizens and veterans alike.
That one despicable human being “has suffered enough” IS NOT the issue. The future of the US Military IS and a great opportunity to send a multi generational message out to millions of service men and women yet to come into the military has been lost. Bergdahl should have faced a firing squad.
I hope this verdict
No matter the name, he and his defenders/judge gotta sleep sometime.
The “Fix” was already in long ago.....all Bergdahl had to do was walk through the proceedings and reveal the conditions he willingly stepped into with his Taliban buddies. Then he’d walk.
I’d say the judge belongs with him.
But what’s with the Trump admin’s side? They seem to have been negotiating with just themselves rather than with the court when they dropped the charges below what they should have been.
That will work too. Multiple tours if necessary.
This is beyond the pale of reason.
The JAG Judge should be submitting his papers pretty soon. I am sure a “K” Street firm will pick him up.
Was this decision made “for the good of the service”?
This was a total waste of time, and would be laughable except for the loss of life, grievous wounds suffered by some and the dishonor and taint done to his fellow soldiers.
Words fail me, but dire thoughts swirl around about this loser. I wonder when he will be marching as a “Vet” in a future parade.
This, along with the other activist judges’ rulings, demonstrates the life-threatening extent of “termite”-caused damage to the foundational pillars of our Republic.
I hope and pray it’s not damaged beyond repair, and that President Trump will indeed be The Orkin Man.
You’ve got a lot of speculation there, but I don’t see a lot of facts.
With a DD his life is toast - unless he’s a hero guest on The View.
He is a hero to Obama and the left, I predict he won’t suffer. But we will suffer this disastrous legal decision.
*Susan Rice*, the also Benghazi liar, said it..
“I hope someone delivers justice anonymously.””
In years past, his home state of ID used to be a hot bed of militias or if you prefer - radicals! Perhaps it’s the same today. I wouldn’t anticipate this guy going back to ID and settling in as if he’s just going back home with no problems while he was in the Army. His devoted parents can always hire obozo to protect their beloved son!
Nothing is worse than JAGs. Sen. Lindsey Graham was a JAG-off at one time.
Change his name and alter his appearance somehow. If he has any sense at all; he will crawl into a hole for a few years and let the general public forget about him; at least those who can.
Then surface with a new appearance and new name like you said. It’s his only chance at having a life but something tells me this guy will never work a regular job. He’s simply not mentally capable of anything more mentally strenuous than sweeping and mopping floors.
The number I heard was six. That might be dead and wounded.
Just read he’s been given a DD and reduced in rank to E1 and pay a fine for ten months. Next up he and that judge will appear on The View as hero guests and maybe a gig on DWTS in the Fall.
The rats had judge Roberts type dirt on him.
The investigation team finally concluded the case in a fashion that prevented any public disclosure of the seriousness and depth of Bregdahls betrayal and misconduct so all anyone is left with is speculation
The speculation kind of speaks for itself
We know Bregdahl himself plead guilty to Dessertion in combat and Misconduct before the enemy
We know that as a direct consequence of his desertion and misconduct six soldiers lost their lives and another 6 or more were horribly wounded and crippled for life
Many of us are of the opinion that the Judges sentence does fit the crime and constitutes a miscarriage of justice given the lack of any legitimate mitigating circumstances
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