Bergdahl dishonorably discharged, no jail time after emotional trial

by **Rocky** Sat 04 Nov 2017, 6:09 am

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Post n°1

Bergdahl dishonorably discharged, no jail time after emotional trial

by Rocky Sat 04 Nov 2017, 6:09 am

[size=60]Bergdahl dishonorably discharged, no jail time after emotional trial[/size]

O'Neill: Judge made a bad call on Bergdahl

The man who killed Usama bin Laden sounds off on judge's decision not to give convicted Army deserter Bowe Bergdahl any jail time, wonders it was a personal statement against the Trump administration. #Tucker
President Trump tweeted Friday that Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl's sentence-- a dishonorable discharge, but no prison time for leaving his post in June 2009 -- was a "complete and total disgrace."
More than eight years after Bergdahl walked off his base in Afghanistan -- and unwittingly into the clutches of the Taliban -- Bergdahl walked out of a North Carolina courtroom a free man Friday. Bergdahl, who pleaded guilty to endangering his comrades, was fined, reduced in rank to E1 and dishonorably discharged -- but he received no prison time.
Trump, aboard Air Force One en route to meetings in Asia, tweeted his disapproval of the sentence.

Donald J. Trump

@realDonaldTrump

[ltr]The decision on Sergeant Bergdahl is a complete and total disgrace to our Country and to our Military.[/ltr]

11:54 AM - Nov 3, 2017

[ltr]
Twitter Ads info and privacy[/ltr]

"The decision on Sergeant Bergdahl is a complete and total disgrace to our Country and to our Military," Trump wrote.
Bergdahl dishonorably discharged, no jail time after emotional trial 1509724467044

Bergdahl dishonorably discharged, no jail time after emotional trial 1509724467044

Bowe Bergdahl's parents stand in the Rose Garden with President Obama when Bergdahl's release was announced. (AP)
As part of the sentence, Bergdahl will forfeit his pay of $1000 per month for ten months.
Bergdahl was shaking and appeared emotional as the verdict was quickly read.
Bergdahl's defense lawyer has told reporters after sentencing that his client "has looked forward to today for a long time."
Eugene Fidell added: "Sgt. Bergdahl is grateful to everyone who searched for him in 2009, especially those who heroically sustained injuries."
Bergdahl dishonorably discharged, no jail time after emotional trial 1509724569443

Bergdahl dishonorably discharged, no jail time after emotional trial 1509724569443

Bowe Bergdahl, left, was held by militants for five years. (AP)
Fidell told reporters that he looks forward to the appeals court reviewing Trump's statements as a candidate, which he appeared to reaffirm on the day Bergdahl pleaded guilty Oct. 16.
Addressing reporters before Trump tweeted about the sentence, Fidell said Trump had already caused one of the "most preposterous" legal situations in American history.
He said he looks forward to the appeal, adding: "We think there's an extremely strong basis for dismissal of the case."
Prosecutors had requested a 14-year prison term following a week of emotional testimony from the survivors who were wounded during missions to find Bergdahl after he left the base in June 2009. Bergdahl's defense team had asked for no prison time.
Bergdahl dishonorably discharged, no jail time after emotional trial 1509724787392

Bergdahl dishonorably discharged, no jail time after emotional trial 1509724787392

Master Sergeant Mark Allen suffered a head injury in July 2009 while looking for Bergdahl. The injury left him unable to speak or walk.
Bergdahl faced up to life in prison for desertion and misbehavior before the enemy.
Capt. Nina Banks, a defense attorney, said it wouldn't be justice to rescue Bergdahl from the Taliban "only to place him in a cell" now.
"Sgt. Bergdahl has been punished enough," Banks added. "Sgt. Bergdahl paid a bitter price for the choices that he made."
During the multiday sentencing hearing, Bergdahl himself testified that he was sorry for the wounds suffered by searchers. He also described brutal beatings by his captors, illness brought on by squalid conditions and maddening periods of isolation, most of it in a cramped cage.
Bergdahl pleaded guilty on Oct. 16.
The 31-year-old soldier from Hailey, Idaho, was brought home by President Barack Obama in 2014 in a swap for five Taliban prisoners at Guantanamo Bay. Obama said at the time that the U.S. does not leave its service members on the battlefield.
Republicans roundly criticized Obama, and Trump went further while campaigning for president, repeatedly calling Bergdahl a traitor who deserved death.
Fox News' Terace Garnier and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2017/11/03/bergdahl-awaits-sentence-after-days-emotional-testimony.html

by **Rocky** Sat 04 Nov 2017, 6:12 am

Rocky

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Post n°2

The Latest: Sen. Graham disappointed in Bergdahl sentence

by Rocky Sat 04 Nov 2017, 6:12 am

[size=40]The Latest: Sen. Graham disappointed in Bergdahl sentenceThe Latest: Sen. Graham disappointed in Bergdahl sentence[/size]
Bergdahl dishonorably discharged, no jail time after emotional trial Slideshow-story-view

Bergdahl dishonorably discharged, no jail time after emotional trial 800

FORT BRAGG, N.C. (AP) — The Latest on the sentencing hearing for Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl (all times local):
3:45 p.m.
Sen. Lindsey Graham says he’s “incredibly disappointed” in the sentence Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl received from a military judge.
The South Carolina Republican, who served as an Air Force lawyer for more than 30 years, says Friday he has tremendous respect for the military justice system. But he says “this sentence in my view falls short of the gravity of the offense.”
Bergdahl pleaded guilty to endangering his comrades by walking away from his post in Afghanistan. A search for Bergdahl left several U.S. troops badly wounded. A military judge ruled Bergdahl should serve no prison time but gave him a dishonorable discharge, reduced his rank to private and fined him.
Graham says, “an independent judiciary is the heart and soul of the rule of law but no one is beyond criticism.”
___
2:30 p.m.
A soldier who was wounded searching for Bowe Bergdahl says the lack of prison time in his sentence is “unacceptable.”
Scores of troops searched for Bergdahl after he walked off his post near the Afghan town of Mest. Prosecutors cited two missions that resulted in serious wounds to two soldiers and a Navy SEAL.
One of the wounded soldiers, Jonathan Morita of California, still doesn’t have full use of his dominant hand after bones were shattered when he was hit by an RPG, which didn’t explode.
Asked by phone about his reaction to Bergdahl’s sentence, he said: “I’ve had had better days.”
He added: “The dishonorable discharge means he can’t receive any of these services like I can. He’ll pay the fine like people get fined for illegal fishing. OK, whoop-de-do.”
Referring to the lack of prison time, he said: “That’s the one that’s completely unacceptable. It should have maybe not been the life sentence, but it should have been something.”
___
1:20 p.m.
Bowe Bergdahl’s defense lawyer has told reporters after sentencing that his client “has looked forward to today for a long time.”
Eugene Fidell added, “Sgt. Bergdahl is grateful to everyone who searched for him in 2009, especially those who heroically sustained injuries.”
Fidell told reporters that he looks forward to the appeals court reviewing Trump’s statements as a candidate, which he appeared to reaffirm on the day Bergdahl pleaded guilty Oct. 16.
Addressing reporters before Trump tweeted about the sentence, Fidell said Trump had already caused one of the “most preposterous” legal situations in American history.
He said he looks forward to the appeal, adding: “We think there’s an extremely strong basis for dismissal of the case.”
___
1:10 p.m.
President Donald Trump says a judge’s ruling that Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl will serve no prison time is a “complete and total disgrace.”
The president’s comment on Twitter came Friday, less than an hour after the White House declined to comment on the sentence.
Bergdahl is the Army sergeant who walked off his post in Afghanistan and triggered a search that wounded some of his comrades.
He was captured by the Taliban and held for five years, until President Barack Obama traded Taliban prisoners to bring him back.
A military judge ruled Friday that he should not serve prison time.
Trump issued his tweet from Air Force One on Friday as he embarked on the first leg of his trip to Hawaii and Asia.
The president has long been a critic of Bergdahl. During the presidential campaign, Trump called him a traitor who deserved serious punishment.
___
1:05 p.m.
President Donald Trump says Bowe Bergdahl’s sentence for leaving his post in Afghanistan is “a complete and total disgrace to our Country and to our Military.”
The president’s comment on Twitter came Friday, less than an hour after the White House declined to comment on the military sentence given to Bergdahl.
A military judge in North Carolina ruled Friday that Bergdahl should serve no prison time for endangering his comrades by walking off his Afghanistan post. The judge also gave Bergdahl a dishonorable discharge, reduced his rank to private and said he must forfeit pay equal to $1,000 per month for 10 months.
While campaigning for president, Trump repeatedly called Bergdahl a traitor who deserved serious punishment.
___
12:25 p.m.
The White House says it has no comment on the sentence given to Bowe Bergdahl for leaving his post in Afghanistan.
Instead, White House officials referred back to a previous statement from several weeks ago.
The statement said President Donald Trump “expects all military personnel who are involved in any way in the military justice process to exercise their independent professional judgment, consistent with applicable laws and regulations.”
A military judge in North Carolina ruled Friday that Bergdahl should serve no prison time for endangering his comrades by walking off his Afghanistan post. The judge also gave Bergdahl a dishonorable discharge, reduced his rank to private and said he must forfeit pay equal to $1,000 per month for 10 months.
___
11:40 a.m.
A military judge has found that Bowe Bergdahl should serve no prison time for endangering his comrades by walking off his Afghanistan post.
The judge also gave Bergdahl a dishonorable discharge, reduced his rank to private and said he must forfeit pay equal to $1,000 per month for 10 months. The judge made no other comments.
Bergdahl appeared tense, grimaced and clenched his jaw. His attorneys put their arms around him and one patted him on the back.
Bergdahl pleaded guilty to desertion and misbehavior before the enemy and had faced up to life in prison. The judge had wide leeway because Bergdahl made no deal with prosecutors to limit his sentence.
Prosecutors had sought stiff punishment because of wounds to service members who searched for Bergdahl after he disappeared in 2009. He was held captive by Taliban allies for five years.
The defense sought to counter that evidence with testimony about Bergdahl’s suffering during five years as a captive of Taliban allies, his contributions to military intelligence and survival instruction and his mental health problems.
___
9:25 a.m.
A military judge has resumed his deliberations on Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl’s punishment for endangering comrades by leaving his post in Afghanistan in 2009.
Col. Jeffery Nance called Bergdahl and lawyers for both sides into court briefly Friday to let them know that he was returning to his chamber to continue deliberations. He didn’t give an indication of when he would hand down Bergdahl’s sentence.
The 31-year-old Bergdahl, who faces up to life in prison, appeared tense during the short court session. He clenched his jaw as if grinding his teeth, then grimaced and looked at the floor when he walked out of the courtroom.
The judge began deliberating Thursday after hearing closing arguments by defense attorneys, who asked for no prison time, and prosecutors who are seeking 14 years behind bars.
2:45 a.m.
Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl, who was held for five years by Taliban allies after walking off his post in Afghanistan, will soon learn his punishment after pleading guilty to endangering his comrades.
A military judge began deliberating Thursday after hearing closing arguments by defense attorneys, who asked for no prison time, and prosecutors who are seeking 14 years behind bars.
Army Col. Jeffery Nance said he would open court again Friday morning to continue deliberating. It wasn’t clear when he would deliver the sentence.
Bergdahl faces up to life in prison for desertion and misbehavior before the enemy. In closing arguments, prosecutors cited serious wounds to service members who looked for Bergdahl.

https://www.apnews.com/95884decf52643008fdc19fbf249ed64

by **Rocky** Sat 04 Nov 2017, 6:14 am

Rocky

Rocky: Admin Assist; Posts : 269033
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Post n°3

Bergdahl spared from prison; Trump calls sentence 'disgrace'

by Rocky Sat 04 Nov 2017, 6:14 am

[size=36]Bergdahl spared from prison; Trump calls sentence 'disgrace'[/size]

By JONATHAN DREW, ASSOCIATED PRESS

[size=13]FORT BRAGG, N.C. — Nov 3, 2017, 6:05 PM ET[/size]

The Associated Press

Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl, right, arrives at the Fort Bragg courtroom facility for a sentencing hearing at Fort Bragg, N.C., Friday, Nov. 3, 2017. Bergdahl, who walked off his base in Afghanistan in 2009 and was held by the Taliban for five years, pleaded guilty to desertion and misbehavior before the enemy. (AP Photo/Gerry Broome)more [size=15]+[/size]

Email

Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl, who walked away from his post in Afghanistan and triggered a search that left some of his comrades severely wounded, was spared a prison sentence by a military judge Friday in what President Donald Trump blasted as a "complete and total disgrace."
The judge gave no explanation of how he arrived at his decision, but he reviewed evidence that included the five years Bergdahl was held captive by the Taliban and the wounds suffered by troops who searched for him, including one who now uses a wheelchair and cannot speak.
The case was politically divisive. President Barack Obama traded Taliban prisoners to bring Bergdahl back, drawing sharp Republican criticism. As a presidential candidate, Trump called for the soldier to face stiff punishment. He could have received up to life in prison.
The judge also gave the 31-year-old a dishonorable discharge, reduced his rank from sergeant to private and ordered him to forfeit pay equal to $1,000 per month for 10 months.
In court, Bergdahl appeared tense, grimaced and clenched his jaw. His attorneys put their arms around him and one patted him on the back. One defense attorney cried after the sentence was announced.
Defense lawyer Eugene Fidell told reporters that his client had "looked forward to today for a long time."
Bergdahl "is grateful to everyone who searched for him," especially those who "heroically sustained injuries," Fidell added.
Trump's statement came in a tweet about 90 minutes after the sentencing. "The decision on Sergeant Bergdahl is a complete and total disgrace to our Country and to our Military," the president wrote.
Bergdahl pleaded guilty last month to desertion and misbehavior before the enemy. He has said he left his post in 2009 with the intention of reaching other commanders and drawing attention to what he saw as problems with his unit.
The judge, Army Col. Jeffery Nance, had wide leeway in deciding the sentence because Bergdahl made no deal with prosecutors to limit his punishment.
Prosecutors sought a serious penalty because of wounds suffered by service members who searched for Bergdahl after he disappeared.
The defense tried to counter that evidence with testimony about Bergdahl's suffering as a captive, his contributions to military intelligence and survival training, and his mental health problems. The argument for leniency also cited Trump's harsh campaign-trail comments.
The dishonorable discharge threatens to deprive Bergdahl of most or all his veterans' benefits, but it also triggers an automatic appeal to a higher military court. Before that, a general who can reduce, but not increase, the sentence will also review it.
Fidell told reporters that he looks forward to the appeals court review of Trump's campaign statements, which included calling Bergdahl a "dirty, rotten traitor" and declaring that he should be shot or thrown out of an airplane without a parachute.
As a candidate, Trump "made really extraordinary reprehensible comments targeted directly at our client," Fidell told reporters Friday, calling the situation "one of the most preposterous states of affairs" in American legal history. He said the defense team sees "an extremely strong basis for dismissal of the case."
Earlier in the week, Bergdahl described the brutal conditions of his captivity, including beatings with copper wire, unending bouts of gastrointestinal problems brought on by squalid conditions and maddening periods of isolation. After several escape attempts, he was placed in a cage for four years, and his muscles atrophied to the point he could barely stand or walk.
A psychiatrist testified that his decision to leave his post was influenced by a schizophrenia-like condition called schizotypal personality disorder that made it hard to understand the consequences of his actions, as well as post-traumatic stress disorder brought on partly by a difficult childhood.
Prosecutors, who had asked for a sentence of 14 years in prison, did not speak to reporters. But one of them, Maj. Justin Oshana, said during closing arguments Thursday that Bergdahl "does not have a monopoly on suffering as a result of his choices."
Scores of troops joined in an all-out search for Bergdahl in the weeks after he abandoned his remote post near the Afghan town of Mest.
Prosecutors cited two missions that resulted in wounds, including a soldier whose hand was shattered by a rocket-propelled grenade and another who suffered a head wound that put him in a wheelchair and rendered him unable to speak. A Navy SEAL suffered a career-ending leg wound, and a military dog was killed by an insurgent firing an AK-47.
The judge ruled that those firefights would not have happened if not for Bergdahl.
One of the wounded soldiers, Jonathan Morita of California, called the lack of prison time "unacceptable." Morita, who testified during sentencing, still does not have full use of his dominant hand after he was hit by the RPG, which did not explode.
"The dishonorable discharge means he can't receive any of these services like I can. He'll pay the fine like people get fined for illegal fishing. Ok, whoop-de-doo," Morita said in a phone interview.
Referring to the lack of prison time, he said: "That's the one that's completely unacceptable. It should have maybe not been the life sentence, but it should have been something."
Without confinement hanging over him, Bergdahl already has a job offer from an animal sanctuary, and a military official who helps design survival training said he would like to use Bergdahl as a part of lectures to service members on how to survive captivity.
The soldier from Hailey, Idaho, was brought home by Obama in 2014 in a swap for five Taliban prisoners held at Guantanamo Bay. He has been working a desk job at a military installation in San Antonio and has not been under any pretrial confinement.
At the time of Bergdahl's release, Obama said the U.S. does not leave service members on the battlefield.

http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/bowe-bergdahl-learn-sentence-friday-50903210

by **Rocky** Sat 04 Nov 2017, 6:15 am

Rocky

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Join date : 2012-12-21

Post n°4

more Bergdaul info

by Rocky Sat 04 Nov 2017, 6:15 am

more Bergdaul info

https://www.google.com/search?q=bergdaul+news&rlz=1C1GNAM_enUS686US686&oq=bergdaul+news&aqs=chrome..69i57j0l5.8906j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

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Bergdahl dishonorably discharged, no jail time after emotional trial

Bergdahl dishonorably discharged, no jail time after emotional trial

O'Neill: Judge made a bad call on Bergdahl

The Latest: Sen. Graham disappointed in Bergdahl sentence

Bergdahl spared from prison; Trump calls sentence 'disgrace'

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