Two of the Navy SEALs who are being accused of maltreating a prisoner have been arraigned, but court records of the case against them has not yet been made available to the public.
Court documents are usually available to the public – including that of military trials – unless the case involves classified information. It was entirely possible for some of these documents to be available to the public as early as end of week last week, but no such documents have been released to date.
Defense attorney Monica Lombardi, who represents Navy SEAL Julio Huertas, has said that she has filed a discovery request; this has been denied, however. We are presuming that the other lawyers for the defense have not yet seen evidence either. Apparently, it is still undergoing review as to whether which information may be released and which are to be deemed as classified.
The case revolves around an alleged incident in September, where one of the SEALs – Matthew McCabe – apparently punched suspect Ahmed Hashim Abed in the stomach. Jonathan Keefe and Julio Huertas are being accused of covering up and lying about the said incident.
The public outcry over the charging of the SEALs has been rather deafening, with people reacting rather strongly about the entire situation. The military has been largely mum about the affair, although they have been quoted as requesting people to refrain from making “rush judgments. Silkman also stressed that the incident did not occur during the capture of the suspect Abed but after.
Still, the fact that the SEALs did not agree to a non-judicial reprimand seems to signify that the SEALs may just have been doing their jobs. It is rather difficult to imagine that a SEAL will punch anyone for no apparent reason. Having the evidence released to the public may shed more light into the situation and may help regulate public perception, but pending that, it is rather difficult to not be sympathetic to the SEALs.
Silkman revealed that the prosecutors for all cases against the SEALs will be U.S. Navy JAG officers Jason Grover and Nicholas Kadlec.
December 9th, 2009 - 5:30 am
[...] Court Records for Prosecution of Navy SEALs Still Unavailable [...]
December 10th, 2009 - 6:21 am
[...] what else can we do? What is it, by way of evidence and information, that the military prosecutors have against these Navy SEALs such that they are still intent on [...]
December 13th, 2009 - 5:58 am
[...] amiss here, and until more information about what had exactly happened, and until relevant court documents and evidences are revealed, then all these talks and debates will lead nowhere. Our hope is that, all things [...]
December 13th, 2009 - 12:49 pm
The United States Of America Has been indited by the Anti-American Administration Of Barry Soetoro Aka Barack Hussein Obama Mentor Frank Marshall Davis President Communist Party USA.Barry Soetoro Also a Voting member The New Party.As a Veteran Marine of The Vietnam War I am Familiar with the liar likes of John Kerry and John Martha just waiting and ready to accuse our soldiers to forward their Communist backers with the likeness of Jane Fonda.This Political Correctness of putting our soldiers or Country on trail for the forgiveness of our Enemy is ludacris! If these Commandeers are going to support a person that won’t show his identification and attack from with in,needs to resign.Their first loyalty is to country!We have already learned a terrible lesson in Texas what happens when some one you think is not right to continue to be a leader.Enemy among us!! If our so called leaders won’t think country first we need to make these walk away! Leave these Brave Sailors Alone Under The Direction Of the Majority United States Citizens.You all work for us and we can and will fire you if you don’t follow the majority rule.