Posted on 09/20/2024 6:41:25 PM PDT by RandFan
Travis King, the US soldier who fled from South to North Korea last year before being returned home, has been sentenced to one year of confinement and is dishonourably discharged from the military.
He faced charges including desertion and assault of a non-commissioned officer.
But with time already served and credit for good behaviour, the 24-year-old Army private walked free, his legal team told the BBC.
At Friday's hearing at Fort Bliss, Texas, he pleaded guilty to five of the original 14 military charges that had been filed against him. The other charges were dismissed.
He was questioned by a military judge about his decision to flee across the border into North Korea in July 2023.
King joined the army in January 2021 and was in South Korea as part of a unit rotation when he crossed into North Korea.
At the hearing, King told military judge Lt Col Rick Mathew that he had decided to flee the US Army because he was “dissatisfied” with work and had been thinking about leaving for about a year before he bolted into North Korea.
“I wanted to desert from the US Army and never come back,” King said, according to reporters inside the courtroom
(Excerpt) Read more at bbc.co.uk ...
This is just now reaching the sentencing phase?
I had forgotten all about his highly stupid stunt of walking to North Korea. His case probably has very low priority for the Army. He’s already locked up. They’ll get to him when they get to him.
In the old days he would have been shot.
Precisely.
Everyone too soft these days
Even if fraternizing with an enemy
Amish
Since the Civil War, only one single U.S. soldier has been executed for desertion.
King illegally crossed into North Korea while on a civilian tour of the village of Panmunjom, located on the heavily guarded Demilitarised Zone (DMZ) between North and South Korea.
He joined the civilian tour after he was released from a South Korean prison where he had served nearly two months on charges that he assaulted two people and kicked a police car.
After his release, he was taken to the airport so he could return to the Fort Bliss base to face disciplinary action. But instead of getting on the plane, King joined the civilian tour and ultimately bolted into North Korea, where he was detained by local authorities<
I crossed into North Korea too while on a tour of Panmunjom. He must have done more than just cross the border.
I don't quite get what happened. He defected to North Korea? That's plausible, since North Koreans routinely patrol the DMZ. But then they returned him? That seems odd.
Unfortunately a very light sentence.
They executed Private Slovik for less.
I don’t quite get what happened. He defected to North Korea? That’s plausible, since North Koreans routinely patrol the DMZ. But then they returned him? That seems odd.
Maybe for the same reason they returned Frank Burns in that MASH episode.
I have no idea how he did it It’s a shame they gave him back. He’ll be back on the block and continue his criminal ways.
Send him to Africa and give him his E-1 pay. Serve his sentence as a free man.
He has already served his time as per the article.
He’ll probably claim some sort of disability and pull down a government stipend via Social Security .
His defense lawyer suggested mental issues.
The Norks at first used him for propaganda food. They then spit him out.
Tried to desert to north Korea and they threw him back. Even north Korea didnt want his black bullsht.
**has been sentenced to one year of confinement and is dishonourably discharged from the military.**
Military justice is to justice what military music is to music.
I’ve decided to quit the Army. John Winger - Mr. Push-Ups
North Korea? It’s like Wisconsin!
We zip in! We zip out!
Military Desertion Penalty
If the individual deserted but then voluntarily returned under military control:
Dishonorable discharge
Loss of all allowances and payments and reduction to the lowest enlisted grade
Three years in confinement
If the individual deserted and was later terminated with apprehension:
Dishonorable discharge and forfeiture of all wages and allowances
Reduction of the lowest enlisted grade
Confinement for 3 years
If the individual deserted with the intention to avoid dangerous duty or to avoid important service:
The punishment is dishonorable discharge
Forfeiture of all pay or allowances
Reduction to the lowest enlisted grade
Confinement for five years
If the individual deserts in the time of war, the member could be sentenced to death or a different penalty (such as life imprisonment) that a court-martial might decide.
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