Soldier to Face Court-Martial in Iraq (will be open to public)

Yahoo News ^

[McGruff]

BAGHDAD, Iraq - A 24-year-old U.S. military policeman will be the first soldier to face a court-martial in connection with the abuse of Iraqi prisoners at Abu Ghraib prison, the military said Sunday.

Spc. Jeremy C. Sivits of Hyndman, Pa., a member of the 372nd Military Police Company, will stand trial in Baghdad on May 19, Brig. Gen. Mark Kimmitt said.

Sivits has been charged with conspiracy to maltreat subordinates and detainees, dereliction of duty for negligently failing to protect detainees from abuse and cruelty and maltreatment of detainees, Kimmitt said.

Seven soldiers, including Sivits, face criminal charges for alleged abuse of Iraqi prisoners. Photographs of the abuse were published throughout the world.

Sivits is the first soldier whose trial date has been set.

President Bush vowed Saturday that "we will learn all the facts and determine the full extent of these abuses. Those involved will be identified. They will answer for their actions."

The Army trained Sivits as a truck mechanic, not as a prison guard, his father, Daniel, said. He said his son "was just doing what he was told to do.

[McGruff]

During Coalition News conference they said this will begin May 19th and will be open to public. Fox News Channel says they will be there.

[InvisibleChurch]

President Bush vowed Saturday that "we will learn all the facts and determine the full extent of these abuses. Those involved will be identified. They will answer for their actions."

hey, W, howzabout making xxxlinton responsible for his actions?

[Allegra]

I can't help but feel for this guy's family and what they must be going through.

Iraq can be a mean place and can take people out of their characters if they're not careful.

[cohokie]

Does anyone know how often court martials become public? I have not heard of this before ....

[Vaduz]

It must be a slow news day for the media hacks

[mtbopfuyn]

While it sounds good on the surface, the RATS will intice the Arab street that we're evil and this is all a farce. Stay turned for the the usual cast of characters to turn it into a Bush bash.

[Loyal Buckeye]

It looks as though the Administration is using the situation to teach the Iraqis and Arabs in other countries how Democracy works.

[TomGuy]

Public?

Big mistake!

Media circus in the making!

[csvset]

Does anyone know how often court martials become public? I have not heard of this before ....

Here in the Norfolk area, cameras aren't allowed, reporters would have to rely on courtroom artists drawings.

[Enterprise]

"The Army trained Sivits as a truck mechanic, not as a prison guard, his father, Daniel, said."

"Look," said Sivits, "I made an honest mistake. They told me to tighten some lug nuts and I thought they said to tighten some lugs nuts."

[tjwmason]

Public?
Big mistake!
Media circus in the making!

The potential (/certainty) for it turning into a western media circus is the price which has to be paid. If the courts martial were carried out in secret, then there would be little chance of getting a positive message across to the Iraqis. By having the trial covered by al Jazeera et al. there is the chance to rectify the beating which the west has taken in the minds of Iraqis.

[snopercod]

I wonder if the "I was only following orders" defense will work this time around?

[McGruff]

Does anyone know how often court martials become public? I have not heard of this before ....

I'm not a lawyer, but I did a Google search.

It appears this is not unprecedented.

[chainsaw]

From the reports I've been reading, this grunt was just following orders from the pentagon, as were all the others. This is just a ploy to pass the buck to the lowest possible denominator.

If he is guilty, fine, but lets also go up the ladder and get the brass from the "Don't tell" army of the past administration that issued the orders to soften up the prisoners.

[McGruff]

From Coast Guard Military Justice Manual

SAMPLE NOTICE OF PUBLIC TRIAL

Pursuant to RCM 806 of the Manual for Courts-Martial, notice is hereby given that a Special Court-Martial will be held in Room 504, Federal Building, Portsmouth, Virginia at 0900, date, in the case of United States v. SN Ivan M. SMITHY, USCG.

The public is invited to and permitted to attend all open sessions of said court-martial unless the military judge shall direct that for national security, or other good cause, the public shall be excluded from certain portions of the trial.

The taking of photographs in the court-room during an open or closed session of the court, broadcasting of the proceedings from the courtroom by radio or television, or the recording of the proceedings by tape or wire recorders or similar devices for public release or broadcast will not be permitted.

[MEG33]

I am aware.Very bad Command discipline, disgraceful.Discipline is what holds people together in the stress of danger , boredom, danger, boredom. Facing the enemy and not being brutal is tough in any circumstance...and these were bad guys.

Training and discipline is what holds the line. I know one was an accused wife beater and stalker,Graner.He may have enjoyed the control and humiliation part.

Rumsfield says other pictures depict brutality...What kind of twisted fool would take pictures and send them over the internet? I hate the fact this is harming our troops..just hate it.

The dems are in full attack mode. Lieberman was the only one who talked about the great effort,successes and honored them. I applaud all the good things that have been done over there.They featured them on Fox Sunday show.

[veronica]

Absurd. They are serving this guy up on a platter. DISGUSTING.

[Brandon]

I think it's a very smart move. It'll help draw the poison out -- show the Iraqis that we take this very seriously, and are moving quickly to punish the guilty. We're not afraid to air our dirty linen in public.

And don't expect a media circus. This ia a military court-martial, not a civilian court. If this guy is guilty, he's gonna get creamed.

[Brandon]

If he did what he's charged with, he deserves to be served up on a platter. The article says this is just the first court martial; there are no doubt others waiting in the on deck circle for their turns.