Tuesday Apr 30, 2013
Okinawa
Marine’s conviction for attempted suicide overturned
The U.S. military’s highest appeals court on Monday rejected
the conviction of an Okinawa Marine for attempting suicide, but the decision
may fall short of setting a precedent for all such prosecutions.
The U.S.
Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces ruled that Pvt. Lazzaric Caldwell was improperly
charged and convicted of disrupting order and discrediting the Marine Corps
after he slashed his wrists in his Camp Schwab barracks in 2010. Caldwell, who
had been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder unrelated to combat, was
confined to the brig for six months and received a bad-conduct discharge.
The Marine’s
prosecution raised concerns at a time when the military is emerging from over a
decade of wars and struggling with high rates of PTSD and suicide in the ranks.
However, Caldwell defense attorney Lt. Mike Hanzel said the appeals court
decision was specific to the case and does not prevent prosecution of other
suicides by the military.
“They decided
in Pvt. Caldwell’s favor but on more narrow grounds than they could have,”
Hanzel said.
A court
martial and lower appeals court accepted Caldwell’s initial guilty plea and
found that he had disrupted other Marines in his unit who gave emergency care
and had brought discredit on the service through the attempted suicide. The
defense argued that Caldwell suffered from PTSD, depression and brain seizures,
and was wrongly allowed to plead guilty and convicted without a psychological
evaluation.
In its
decision released Monday, the Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces found that
exposing a fellow gunnery sergeant and corpsman to his blood and the unit’s use
of medical supplies for treatment was not enough to prove Caldwell’s suicide
affected good order and discipline in the Marine Corps, despite the prior
conviction and rulings. Stars and Stripes
FACTS & FIGURES
Nearly
130,000 U.S. troops have been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder,
and vastly more have experienced brain injuries. Wired
Over 1,700
have undergone life-changing limb amputations. Over 50,000 have been wounded in
action. As of Wednesday, 6,656 U.S. troops and Defense Department civilians
have died. Wired
Marine Corps
Air Station Futenma will not be closed and relocated farther north on Okinawa
until at least 2019, newly filed Japanese construction documents indicate.
Stars and Stripes
A new
Congressional report details the rising costs of keeping massive U.S. bases
overseas at a time when the Pentagon is looking to reduce its footprint in many
of those countries. AP
The Americans
have about 50,000 troops in Japan, about half stationed on Okinawa. The cost is
estimated at $2 billion in non-personnel costs for the U.S. AP
ARA/HJ
