Posted on 08/12/2010 7:21:08 PM PDT by Leo Carpathian
DECORATED ARMY DOCTOR LTC TERRY LAKIN PHYSICALLY THREATENED BY LEAD PROSECUTOR AT ARRAIGNMENT HEARING; "DON'T TASE ME 'BRO'", LAKIN REPLIES
SUPPORTERS ASKED TO CONTACT GENERAL TO COMPLAIN OF THIS MISCONDUCT
Trial and Motion Dates Set
Washington, D.C., August 12, 2010. The Army doctor who is being court martialled for refusing to obey orders, including a deployment order for his second tour of duty in Afghanistan, was formally arraigned last Friday at the first hearing in the Court Martial process. However, the lead prosecutor overstepped his bounds and injected himself improperly into LTC Terrence Lakin's chain of command. Because of this, the American Patriot Foundation has asked supporters of LTC Lakin to contact his commanding General, MG Carla Hawley-Bowland via (202) 782-1104, fax (202) 782-0940, and email: carla.hawleybowland@us.army.milThis e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , and ask her to insure that LTC Brodsky cease interfering in her chain of command. You should do this after 9a eastern on Friday, Aug 12, 2010.
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The afternoon before the hearing, LTC Steven Brodsky told LTC Lakin's counsel that Lakin must report hours before the hearing to his duty post at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in order for him to be "transported under escort" to make sure he showed up at the arraignment "to avoid embarrassing his unit." Brodsky rejected all pleas from Lakin's counsel that this was not merely highly unusual and that an enlisted man facing similar charges would not suffer such indignity, but that there was zero chance that Lakin would not attend a hearing when he had, quite literally "invited [his] own court martial." Brodsky told Lakin's counsel that an Army Colonel had been detailed to be Lakin's escort and that he, Brodsky, would not reconsider. However, Brodsky is a judge advocate, and as such his job is to prosecute LTC Lakin. He has no role -or at least should have no role-in deciding the manner in which Lakin relates to his commanders, and vice versa.
However, the following day, outside the courtroom, Brodsky went far beyond interference with Lakin's commanders. While Lakin was waiting near the courtroom, Brodsky and COL Melanie Craig (Lakin's "escort") stood around the corner in the main hallway and in voices easily audible to LTC Lakin, spoke about the need to prevent Lakin after the hearing from speaking to the media, "signing autographs or kissing babies". Brodsky then said to Craig "just taser him and throw him in the van."
Lakin says of the incident: "LTC Brodsky meant for me to hear those words, no question. When COL Craig returned to where I was, she said to me 'you probably heard all that, didn't you?' I replied it would have been hard not to. After the hearing, my lawyers asked COL Craig for permission for me to speak to the press, since both CNN and NBC had sent camera crews, but she rudely refused, and she ordered me back into her vehicle to be transported back to Walter Reed." Lakin concluded his remarks today with: "DON'T TASE ME 'BRO'!"
Lakin is a Lt. Colonel with almost 18 years of unblemished service to the Army, with six tours of duty abroad, including tours in Bosnia and Afghanistan. He is a physician and has been awarded the Bronze Star for his service. He believes that his oath to support and defend the United States Constitution has compelled him to act as he has, because President Obama's eligibility under the Constitution to hold office has been seriously questioned, and the President has refused all requests to release documents claimed to exist which would prove his eligibility.
Immediately prior to Lakin's refusal to deploy, his commander, COL Dale Block wrote of Lakin "Dr. Lakin is an extremely talented, highly knowledgeable senior Army clinician...he can always be counted on to provide me with expert advice...LTC Lakin is clearly one of the top clinicians in the Northern Regional Medical Command. He has superb clinical skills, rapport with patients and staff...Terry is the best choice for tough assignments...Already on the promotion list to Colonel, he should be groomed for positions of greater responsibility." COL Block concluded by describing LTC Lakin as "best qualified" and recommended that LTC Lakin be selected for duty as a Clinic Commander (in other words, Block's own position).
At the brief arraignment, the Court set dates for motion hearings on September 3rd and 14th at 11:00 a.m., and for the trial to be held from October 13-15, 2010 starting each day at 9:00 a.m. LTC Brodsky has stated that these hearings will be held at Ft. Meade, Maryland.
MG Hawley-Bowland commands all of Lakin's superiors, and should have prevented them from being improperly influenced by the prosecuting attorney who is NOT in the Walter Reed chain of command. She can, and should, order that Lakin not be singled out for persecution and that his rights to speak to the media, and even to "kiss babies," to paraphrase LTC Brodsky, should not be infringed. She should be told, frankly, "DON'T TASE HIM, 'BRO'!"
It should be noted that the Military Judge in Lakin's case has no authority over Lakin's supervisors, and that therefore the Judge is NOT the one Lakin's supporters should contact. Rather, supporters are asked to only contact MG Hawley-Bowland, because it is she who not only has the power to command Lakin's company commander and others not to permit the prosecutor to interfere, but who SHOULD do so.
The American Patriot Foundation, a non-profit group incorporated in 2003 to foster appreciation and respect for the U.S. Constitution, which has established a fund for Lakin's legal defense to LTC Lakin. Further details are available on the Foundation's website, www.safeguardourconstitution.com.
I do not believe he is concerned about his pension. As difficult as this may be to understand, the man is acting, if his words are to be believed, out of a commitment to do what is morally correct, and in the process placing his personal interests at risk. A reversal would not satisfy his concerns.
Nifong II?
LTC Lakin just wants the chance to be proven right or wrong. If he’s wrong then so be it, but if he’s right. HALLELUIA!!
He picked the wrong forum to do it in. He'll be convicted and the question of Obama's eligibility will never enter into it.
CC
So is everything your post here on this forum.
They would if he was black and he was protesting George Dubya Bush or Sarah Palin.
I am sick of the JournOlist co-conspirators.
A religious fanatic who murders in the name of his cause and is captured and hanged after seizing a military armory?
He will be if the book deal doesn’t come through.
Cynicism is the handmaiden of Progressivism.
I’d argue exactly the opposite.
I had a good friend in college whose older brother vowed to trim neither his beard, nor the hair on his head, until Apartheid ended in South Africa. He kept that vow for several years. I don't doubt that he felt what he was doing was morally correct. And believe me, walking around looking like Rip Van Winkle, he darn sure put his personal interests at risk. But eventually he "figgered out" that not only was he not ending Apartheid, by walking around with hair that looked like and explosion in a string factory, and a beard that would appall ZZ Top, but by associating the attempt to do so with himself, and his appearance, he was making his cause look ridiculous.
I don't doubt LTC Lakin's good faith, or willingness to suffer for his beliefs, I just know that he isn't going to advance the stated goals of Birtherism, by getting court martialed. My friend's brother eventually visited a barbershop, and came out looking no shaggier than a lot of guys on a college campus. LTC Lakin is going to have a lot harder time getting his pension back.
I have no doubt you would. Cynicism is not, however, born of higher principles. It grows out of a denial that principles have sufficient power to overcome corruption. Progressives are overtly supportive of corruption, reflecting a rejection of principle. Some self proclaimed conservatives are cynical about the ability of good to overcome evil. If you fall into the latter group I encourage you to risk taking a positive attitude toward the power of the American Spirit to rise up and motivate a sufficient number of people to bring about a national recomitment to genuine Constitutional government.
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