Navy’s top admiral steps in, assumes authority in Navy SEAL war crimes cases

LA Times ^ | 1 Aug 2019 | ANDREW DYER

[ETCM]

SAN DIEGO — Adm. John Richardson, the chief of naval operations, has dismissed all charges against Navy SEAL Lt. Jacob X. Portier, who was set to face trial in September on charges stemming from the high-profile murder case of Special Operator 1st Class Edward R. Gallagher. “Chief of Naval Operations Adm. John Richardson today dismissed all charges in the case of Lt. Jacob Portier,” a Navy statement said Thursday. “Richardson took this action in the best interest of justice and the Navy.”

Cmdr. Jereal Dorsey, a Navy spokesman, said the decision came from Richardson, not from President Trump, who yesterday rescinded medals awarded to prosecutors in the Gallagher case.

Richardson also ordered a full review of the Navy’s Judge Advocate General Corps.

[ETCM]

Navy says the dropped charges were not directed by President Trump, orders review of entire JAG Corps.

The same JAG Office that prosecuted Chief Gallagher was going after his LT and another SEAL that worked for the Chief. The CNO is stopping the whole thing, and reviewing the entire snake pit that is the JAG Corps. FINALLY.

[FreedomPoster]

Sounds promising.

[T-Bird45]

“...and reviewing the entire snake pit that is the JAG Corps.”

That review needs to include their handmaidens, NCIS, IMO.

[ETCM]

Pinging a few folks from a previous thread...

[Steve Van Doorn]

It almost feels like the US is the country I can be proud of again.

[grey_whiskers]

Wait for a bunch of people to bail, then a bunch of “shocking” tell-all books purporting to blame every single thing that went wrong in the armed forces back to Benedict Arnold (yeah, I know he wasn’t Navy) on Donald Trump...

[Mark17]

Navy says the dropped charges were not directed by President Trump, orders review of entire JAG Corps.

I am going to go out on a limb, and say. BS. It was probably ALL because of President Trump. Maybe some of these people are utterly incapable of telling the truth.

[Enterprise]

In civilian life, when it becomes known that persons involved in the prosecution's case have been found to have been unethical, it can trigger a review of ALL of the cases that the unethical person has been involved in. My sense is that ALL the prosecutions these JAG officers have been involved in should now be reviewed. The conduct this prosecution engaged in may have been criminal, and all their prior cases may now have to be reviewed for possible dismissal.

I can't emphasize enough how much gall it took to award these people the Navy Achievement Medal. It was Obamaesque in nature.

[ETCM]

If not specifically directed by POTUS, the action was certainly INSPIRED by him. I suspect the Admiral received a phone call something like “Admiral, this is a national embarrassment, Fix it!”

Also note that this came straight from CNO, bypassing the Judge Advocate General of the Navy, Vice Admiral Hannink. I have to wonder if he will soon announce he is retiring to spend more time with his family...

[Enterprise]

The intervention by President Trump exposed a pattern of misconduct by JAG officers which was shocking. I hope Admiral Richardson shakes up JAG like a pit bull with a rag doll.

[Trump Girl Kit Cat]

I hope Trump steps in QUIETLY and returns this seals rank and retirement at his rank before this mess!! These seal leaders are now dealing with snowflakes trying like hell to make them tough the good ones will get out scared to death to have these snowflakes watching their backs!!

[Enterprise]

"I have to wonder if he will soon announce he is retiring to spend more time with his family..."

I would suspect that he will. This happened on his watch, like a ship having an accident at sea. He can't point to someone else and say that they failed. As you know, it doesn't work that way in the military.

[ETCM]

This case brought discredit on the USN and was a national embarrassment. Firing the JAG would make exactly the kind of statement that needs to be made. The JAG corps need a major shakeup and change in culture.

[pepsionice]

Don’t you think that Vice Admiral Hannink is the one who signed off on the medals?

I will say this...it just makes the leadership look stupid after they get caught doing something like this. You could ask any sailor or Marine about getting a medal for a failed effort, and they’d just start laughing at the idea.

[Enterprise]

President Trump would have to take further action on it, and I don't think he'll do it. Chief Gallagher E7, was convicted of posing for a picture with a dead man, and he was reduced in rank to E6. If he stays in the military, the reduction in rank will cause him to receive less money. He is eligible to retire now, so that would negate a loss of money in retirement.

[Enterprise]

I agree!!!

[PIF]

I can’t emphasize enough how much gall it took to award these people the Navy Achievement Medal. It was Obamaesque in nature.

---

Not a recent phenomenon limited to Obama. Case in point: in 1979 a Washington State Fisheries officer shotgunned an unarmed commercial salmon fisherman, blowing off part of his head, leaving him to die on his boat (he survived thanks to the Coast Guard) and was promoted later by the Washington Department to Fisheries. The officer was black.

[Enterprise]

I’m sure there have been other cases of screwups where people got promoted and received rewards instead of being prosecuted. Thankfully this turned out not to be one of those cases.

[ETCM]

Don’t you think that Vice Admiral Hannink is the one who signed off on the medals?

Possible, but not likely. NAMs are usually approved within the command at the O5 or O6 level. But when the Gallagher trial started becoming a cluster f#%&, particularly when the criminal misconduct of the prosecution occurred, he should have taken some action.

[Ace's Dad]

I can't emphasize enough how much gall it took to award these people the Navy Achievement Medal. It was Obamaesque in nature.

You are "Spot On"! I have a NAM. You just made my day!