'Birther' sentenced to six months in prison, kicked out of Army

Stars And Stripes ^ | 12/16/10 | Leo Shane III

[tricksy]

Just hours after being found guilty at his court-martial, Army Lt. Col. Terrence Lakin said he was ashamed and remorseful over his decision to refuse deployment to Afghanistan earlier this year, but he hedged on questions about President Barack Obama's citizenship.

"I don't want [my career] to end this way," a tearful Lakin said to military jurors during the sentencing phase of his trial Wednesday afternoon. "I want to continue to serve ... It crushed me not to be on deployment. I can be on a plane tomorrow. I'd truly do that."

Lakin, a 17-year Army physician, was sentenced to six months in prison and dismissal from the service on Thursday after being found guilty of disobeying orders and ignoring his deployment orders. In April, Lakin posted an online video declaring he would not return to Afghanistan with his unit until questions regarding Obama's birth certificate were answered to his satisfaction. The move made him an instant hero to the birther movement, which helped him raise money for his legal defense.

Obama was born in Hawaii, but questions about his parents and overseas upbringing were raised during his 2008 presidential campaign. Hawaiian officials that year verified the existence of his birth certificate, addressing those issues for all but a fringe group that insists that the president is not legally qualified to serve in the White House...

The 45-year-old physician appeared somber and exhausted from two days in court, and was battered by his own civilian defense lawyer during his sentencing statement.

"Are you done disobeying orders, Col. Lakin?" attorney Neal Puckett angrily asked his client. "You invited this court-martial. You invited this sentence. And for the rest of your life, you get to live with a federal felony conviction."

Lakin sheepishly nodded along....

[Balata]

"So I had my health director, who is a physician by background, go personally view the birth certificate in the birth records of the Department of Health, and we issued a news release at that time saying that the president was, in fact, born at Kapi'olani Hospital in Honolulu, Hawaii. And that's just a fact and yet people continue to call up and e-mail and want to make it an issue and I think it's again a horrible distraction for the country by those people who continue this."

Although the governor now claims she issued a news release stating Kapi'olani is Obama's birthplace, the actual release said no such thing, making no reference to Kapi'olani nor any other specific location of Obama's birth.

How about a link that supports your quote. The one I found doesn't support the last two sentences in your quote.

Which are: "It’s been established. He was born here."

[Non-Sequitur]

Nevertheless, he will be vindicated, pardon or not.

Lakin's suspicions about Obama may someday be proven to be true. Lakin himself will never be vindicated. There is no excuse for what he did.

[jamese777]

As I understand your post, you believe that if Speaker Boehner does not exercise his power to solve this mystery, it will be because he is afraid of the facts that will be revealed - “that Obama is constitutionally qualified” to be president?
Well, that’s not good news for those of us who believe that these issues deserve to be resolved properly. I for one am not afraid of discovering the truth, no matter what it may turn out to be. And, by this time, I’m sure that too many people within the government of Hawaii have seen the real documents to permit the new governor to get away with creating phony ones.

I’m going to continue to count on Speaker Boehner. If he comes out and claims that determining the truth to important constitutional questions is some sort of a trap, then it will reflect upon his character and strength as a leader. I say, let’s give the man a chance before we sell him so short.

---

You have put your own spin on what I said.
I believe that the Republican Party has been told by the Governor Of Hawai’i in no uncertain terms that Obama has a valid, long form birth certificate on file at the Hawai’i Department of Health and that any attempt to subpoena it will embarrass the Party.
While YOU might want to risk that embarrassment, your reputation is not on the line.
We’ll all have to wait for next year to see who’s right and who’s wrong.

---

“I, Dr. Chiyome Fukino, Director of the Hawai’i state Department of Health, have seen the original vital records maintained on file by the Hawai’i State Department of Health verifying Barack Hussein Obama was born in Hawai’i and is a natural-born American citizen.”—July 27, 2009.

---

John Boehner voted for a Resolution (HR.RES.593)celebrating Hawai’i’s 50th Anniversary of Statehood which contained the statement “the 44th President of the United States, Barack Obama was born in Hawai’i on August 4, 1961.”
That resolution passed on a vote of 378-0.
http://www.gop.gov/votes/111/1/647

[jamese777]

What difference does it make now to have been kicked out of an army at one with the homosexual death cult?

---

With the average life span of a white heterosexual male, it means a difference of about a million and a half dollars in lost pension payments.

[philman_36]

Here's one...
CNN Poll: Quarter doubt Obama was born in U.S.
In a WABC interview before signing the legislation, Lingle said, "...I had my health director, who is a physician by background, go personally view the birth certificate in the birth records of the Department of Health." Lingle added, " … The president was in fact born at Kapi'olani Hospital in Honolulu, Hawaii. And that's just a fact."
"It's been established he was born here," the governor continued. "I can understand why people want to make certain that the constitutional requirement of being a, you know, natural born American citizen … but the question has been asked and answered. And I think just we should all move on now."

[mlo]

"I have absolutely no one in my life ( friend, relative, neighbor) who would let a person go to prison over their birth certificate and possibly a few other very common documents? If these documents would keep someone out of prison, they would immediately release them."

Obama's documents could not clear Lakin from the charges. They were never an issue in the trial and never requested. One has nothing to do with the other.

[jamese777]

You’re going to be called a kook for your opinion.
I’ve always believed the man was incompetent to represent Lakin in a military court. It’s a far cry from civilian courts.

---

Lieutenant Colonel Lakin also had a very highly regarded military attorney, Major Matthew J. Kemkes at his defense table to advise on military law.

[jamese777]

How about a link that supports your quote. The one I found doesn’t support the last two sentences in your quote.

Which are: “It’s been established. He was born here.”

---

Here’s a link:
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/right-now/2010/05/hawaii_gov_lingle_answers_the.html

[philman_36]

Lieutenant Colonel Lakin also had a very highly regarded military attorney, Major Matthew J. Kemkes at his defense table to advise on military law.
And that means what, exactly? Was he the lead attorney? Was his advice followed?
Better yet, did he give good advice or was he just following orders not to rock the boat like a "good soldier"...or he might be the one on trial?

This is about "following orders", isn't it?

I don't know and, frankly, I don't care any more. The "no discovery" decision let me know exactly where this was going, but I was hoping.

[philman_36]

You just have to love the moxy of Hawaii! Even after all of this there is still this law on the books...
[§338-17.8] Certificates for children born out of State.
a) Upon application of an adult or the legal parents of a minor child, the director of health shall issue a birth certificate for such adult or minor, provided that proof has been submitted to the director of health that the legal parents of such individual while living without the Territory or State of Hawaii had declared the Territory or State of Hawaii as their legal residence for at least one year immediately preceding the birth or adoption of such child.
(b) Proof of legal residency shall be submitted to the director of health in any manner that the director shall deem appropriate. The director of health may also adopt any rules pursuant to chapter 91 that he or she may deem necessary or proper to prevent fraudulent applications for birth certificates and to require any further information or proof of events necessary for completion of a birth certificate.
(c) The fee for each application for registration shall be established by rule adopted pursuant to chapter 91. [L 1982, c 182, §1]

You can still be born somewhere besides Hawaii and get a birth certificate from there!

[jamese777]

You just have to love the moxy of Hawaii! Even after all of this there is still this law on the books...
[§338-17.8] Certificates for children born out of State.

a) Upon application of an adult or the legal parents of a minor child, the director of health shall issue a birth certificate for such adult or minor, provided that proof has been submitted to the director of health that the legal parents of such individual while living without the Territory or State of Hawaii had declared the Territory or State of Hawaii as their legal residence for at least one year immediately preceding the birth or adoption of such child.
(b) Proof of legal residency shall be submitted to the director of health in any manner that the director shall deem appropriate. The director of health may also adopt any rules pursuant to chapter 91 that he or she may deem necessary or proper to prevent fraudulent applications for birth certificates and to require any further information or proof of events necessary for completion of a birth certificate.
(c) The fee for each application for registration shall be established by rule adopted pursuant to chapter 91. [L 1982, c 182, §1]
You can still be born somewhere besides Hawaii and get a birth certificate from there!

---

Irrelevant. Obama doesn’t have an out of state birth certificate. His says that he was born at 7:24 p.m. on August 4, 1961 in the City of Honolulu, in the County of Honolulu, on the Island of Oahu, in the state of Hawai’i.
Kapi’olani Medical Center recognized his birth in that facility in their 100 Anniversay publication:
http://www.kapiolanigift.org/doc/centennial-magazine.pdf

“...the President was, in fact, born at Kapi’olani Hospital in Honolulu, Hawai’i. It’s been established. He was born here.”—Governor Linda Lingle of Hawai’i.

[philman_36]

(b) Proof of legal residency shall be submitted to the director of health in any manner that the director shall deem appropriate.
"Did your Mother declare Hawaii as her legal residence for at least one year immediately preceding your birth?"
"Yep."
"Then I see no problems with issuing you a certificate."

There's all the proof that's needed, if the director so wills it.

[Graneros]

I believe he was saying that the original question was more like asking that old saw: Do you still beat your wife?

[danamco]

Patriot Lt.Col. Lakin pledge an OATH to the CONSTITUTION, and through this Kangaroo and shameless court he was...N O T...N O T...N O T...granted his rights, while you still are pissing on it!!!

[Walts Ice Pick]

Well, I guess I hold out the hope that Speaker Boehner won't be as timid or fearful of embarrassment as you seem to think. Do you really believe that it would materially affect his standing if he were to subpoena the documents and they supported Obama's claims? How long do you think folks might remember that subpoena or what it produced?

If it resulted in a supportive birth certicate, as you suggest, the story would be forgotten in a week. However, if it turns out that the birth certificate supports the doubters like me, it will be a huge story. And grounds for an impeachment!

So, let's hope that Speaker Boehner rises above any fears that you think he's dealing with and move forward with the resolution of this most important issue.

[Gene Eric]

>> while you still are pissing on it!!!

I hope I didn’t give that impression.

[philman_36]

Obama doesn’t have an out of state birth certificate.
That's right, he doesn't! Give that man a Kewpie doll! He's got one from Hawaii!
And the law I just posted shows that you still don't have to be born in Hawaii for that State to issue a Hawaii birth certificate.
Anybody applying and receiving one wouldn't have an "out of state" birth certificate either. It too would be from Hawaii, despite their being born somewhere else.

It isn't that hard to grasp.

[jamese777]

(b) Proof of legal residency shall be submitted to the director of health in any manner that the director shall deem appropriate.
“Did your Mother declare Hawaii as her legal residence for at least one year immediately preceding your birth?”
“Yep.”
“Then I see no problems with issuing you a certificate.”
There’s all the proof that’s needed, if the director so wills it.

---

Janice Okubo, Director of Communications for the Hawai’i Department of Health explains out of state birth certification:
“Okubo...explained that the certificate of live birth reproduced by Obama’s campaign should have debunked the conspiracy theories. “If you were born in Bali, for example,” Okubo explained, “you could get a certificate from the state of Hawaii saying you were born in Bali. You could not get a certificate saying you were born in Honolulu. The state has to verify a fact like that for it to appear on the certificate. But it’s become very clear that it doesn’t matter what I say. The people who are questioning this bring up all these implausible scenarios. What if the physician lied? What if the state lied? It’s just become an urban legend at this point.”
http://washingtonindependent.com/51489/birther-movement-picks-up-steam

[jamese777]

Obama doesn’t have an out of state birth certificate.
That’s right, he doesn’t! Give that man a Kewpie doll! He’s got one from Hawaii!
And the law I just posted shows that you still don’t have to be born in Hawaii for that State to issue a Hawaii birth certificate.
Anybody applying and receiving one wouldn’t have an “out of state” birth certificate either. It too would be from Hawaii, despite their being born somewhere else.
It isn’t that hard to grasp.

---

According to the Governor of Hawaii, Obama’s long form, vault copy birth certificate says that he was born at Kapi’olani Hospital in Honolulu and according to Kapi’olani Medical Center in their Centennial Magazine, they are proud to have the 44th President of the United States, Barack Obama as one of their deliveries.

[panaxanax]

Well said, Twinkie.