Military Law

Soldier Gets Death Sentence in Military Court after Civil Acquittal

A military jury has sentenced a soldier to die for a triple murder more than 20 years after a civilian court acquitted him of the same charges. Military jurors convicted Master Sgt. Timothy Hennis last week after deliberating less than three hours. The death sentence was imposed Thursday after another…

Apr 16, 2010 4:13 PM CDT

Nomination for New US Cyberwar Chief to Explore Internet Issues

A confirmation hearing that begins tomorrow for the new United States Cyber Command post is expected to detail what the nominee himself a “mismatch between our technical capabilities to conduct operations and the governing laws and policies.” Lt. Gen. Keith Alexander made that assessment in written material he provided in…

Apr 14, 2010 9:23 PM CDT

Military Jury Convicts Soldier of Murder 20 Years After his Civilian Acquittal

More than 20 years after his acquittal in civilian court, a soldier has been convicted of a triple murder by a military jury. This time prosecutors relied on DNA tests that had not been available in the earlier trial of Master Sgt. Timothy Hennis, according to stories in the New…

Apr 9, 2010 1:13 PM CDT

A Panel of Their Peers

Lawyers puzzle over civilian versus military juries

Apr 1, 2010 7:20 AM CDT

After Iraq Practice, Veteran Fights for Consumer Justice at Home

After being shot at and mortared while serving in the U.S. Army’s Judge Advocate General’s Corps in Iraq several years ago, the daily difficulties of fighting for consumer justice back home in South Florida don’t seem daunting to Gregory Weiss. He says his biggest challenge was dealing with a medical…

Mar 24, 2010 10:11 PM CDT

Supreme Court to Decide First Amendment Rights of Funeral Picketers

The U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to decide whether anti-gay picketers at military funerals are protected by the First Amendment. The father of a Marine killed in Iraq is seeking to reinstate a $5 million judgment against the picketers, according to SCOTUSblog and the Associated Press. The picketers, members of…

Mar 8, 2010 5:26 PM CST

Obama Advisers Likely to Recommend Military Trial for 9/11 Mastermind

President Obama’s advisers are about to recommend a military trial for the man who has taken credit for masterminding the Sept. 11 attacks, a published report says. Anonymous administration officials told the Washington Post that the advisers are close to completing a review of the case of 9/11 mastermind Khalid…

Mar 5, 2010 12:28 PM CST

Gagged by Judge, Fort Hood Shooting Suspect’s Lawyer Starts Blog Anyway

The lawyer for the Army psychiatrist accused of killing 13 people at Fort Hood, Texas, last November has started a blog to share thoughts and protests about the military’s handling of the high-profile prosecution. CNN reports that civilian lawyer John Galligan started the blog, Fort Hood Attorney, in response to…

Mar 2, 2010 3:50 PM CST

‘Boy Soldier’ Faces Gitmo Tribunal, Could Be First Under Obama Administration

The youngest detainee at Guantanamo Bay—Omar Khadr, who was 15 when he is alleged to have thrown a grenade that killed a U.S. Special Forces medic in Afghanistan—is a lightning rod for criticism of the Obama administration over whether it’s proper to try a child soldier. His age and circumstances…

Feb 10, 2010 11:30 AM CST

Is Bragging About Yourself a Crime? Courts Consider the Question for Military Service Fibs

Federal courts in California and Colorado are grappling with whether the First Amendment protects those who brag or exaggerate about their past, and specifically lie about being war heroes. At the center of the two cases against men who claimed to have received a U.S. military medal is the Stolen…

Feb 8, 2010 11:57 AM CST

Ex-AG Mukasey: DOJ Indecision on 9-11 Trials Looks ‘Like Amateur Night’

Former Attorney General Michael Mukasey slammed the Justice Department today for indecision on where to try five accused Sept. 11 plotters. In an appearance on Fox and Friends, Mukasey showed little patience when asked about an apparent flip-flop on a Manhattan venue, the Huffington Post reports. “It makes it look…

Feb 2, 2010 4:37 PM CST

Circle of Patriotic Friends at Harvard Law: Two Die, Leaving Another Twice Widowed

In the span of six years, tragedy ended the lives of two best friends at Harvard Law School who were considered oddities because of their patriotic interests. Now a third classmate who married one and then the other is twice widowed, and other grads are re-evaluating their own career choices.…

Feb 2, 2010 11:30 AM CST

US Won’t Try Alleged Sept. 11 Plotters in NY; What Is Plan B?

The administration won’t try five alleged plotters of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks in Manhattan after all, a decision announced after Mayor Michael Bloomberg said the security costs could be at least $200 million a year. The New York Times had the story on Friday, and ran a story about…

Feb 1, 2010 1:32 PM CST

Some Gitmo Detainees Will Be Held But Not Tried; Prosecution Hurdles Cited

The Obama administration has decided to continue to hold about 50 dangerous Guantanamo detainees without trial because their prosecutions are considered too difficult. There are fewer than 200 detainees still at Guantanamo, the New York Times reports. An anonymous administration official told the newspaper that about 50 detainees will continue…

Jan 22, 2010 12:34 PM CST

Lawyers Advise Delay in Ending Ban on Gays in Military

In-house lawyers for the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff are advising delaying action to lift the ban on openly gay service members. The Associated Press obtained a copy of the memo outlining the legal advice to Adm. Mike Mullen. “Now is not the time,” the memo said. “The…

Jan 14, 2010 4:15 PM CST