Judge Says Trump Comments Do Not Taint Bergdahl Desertion Case

[DonViejo]

Source: U.S. News & World Report




Oct. 30, 2017, at 6:02 a.m.

By Greg Lacour

FORT BRAGG, N.C. (Reuters) - The military judge hearing U.S. Army Sergeant Bowe Bergdahl's desertion case said on Monday he will not dismiss the charges due to comments by President Donald Trump that the defense argued unfairly influenced the proceedings.

During presidential campaign last year, Republican Trump called Bergdahl "a no-good traitor who should have been executed." The defense said Trump did not renounce such statements in recent remarks about the case.

Army Colonel Jeffery Nance ruled in court at North Carolina's Fort Bragg that no reasonable person would harbor doubt about the integrity of the proceedings due to Trump's comments but said he would consider them as mitigating factors for Bergdahl's sentence.

###

Read more: https://www.usnews.com/news/top-news/articles/2017-10-30/soldiers-brain-injury-in-focus-at-us-armys-bergdahl-sentencing

[onecaliberal]

1. Wow

[RainCaster]

2. That's pretty messed up

Is there an emoji for a lying tweeting pile of guano?

[cstanleytech]

4. Not really, Trumps opinion is immaterial to the fact that Bergdahl went awol

and has to answer for it now.
Granted if he is given the death penalty for it (which I doubt he will be) hopefully the courts will put a temporary stay on it until an entirely new administration is in office and can consider granting him clemency if not a pardon.

[librechik]

3. if it were civilcourt that statement from judge would be grounds for new trial

military court who knows? This looks like political bias.

[irisblue]

5. Does this imply that the Judge knows trump cannot be respected?

a mean mewling gasbag of a person.

[Vinca]

6. I know Bergdahl has to pay a price, but I hope they show him leniency.

There has to be some consideration for young military people who are out in the field and most likely shouldn't be.