Tucson court-martial begins for airman accused in colleague's killing
By Carol Ann Alaimo
ARIZONA DAILY STAR posted at http://www.azstarnet.com/sn/hourlyupdate/315999.php
Tucson, Arizona | Published: 11.03.2009
Court-martial proceedings got underway today for a Davis-Monthan airman accused of killing another D-M airman in 2007.
A military jury of six officers and four enlisted personnel will decide the fate of Senior Airman Phillip Andre Howard, who is on trial in the slaying of Airman 1st Class Brian Santos
Santos, 24, of South Gate, Calif., was found lying in the street of a southside neighborhood, not far from a fractious house party both men attended in June 2007.
Air Force prosecutors maintains that Howard, 24, is guilty of unpremeditated murder in the death, in which the victim died from multiple blows to the head that cracked his skull.
Defense lawyers say Howard, of D-M's 355th Equipment Maintenance Squadron, was not responsible for those injuries, and tried to calm things down at the party to prevent fighting.
“Airman Howard was not a lawbreaker. He was a peacemaker,” defense lawyer Maj. Lance Wood said in opening arguments.-----------------
Michael Waddington is a court martial lawyer - court martial attorney that defends military personnel worldwide as well as deployed civilian contractors subject to the UCMJ. He defends Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine, Coast Guard, and civilian contractor court martial cases. He has successfully defended military personnel as a court martial lawyer Army Navy Marine & Air Force court martials in Germany, England, San Diego, Norfolk, Jacksonville, Fort Bragg, Fort Jackson, Fort Stewart, Fort Gordon, Italy, Iraq, Kuwait, Korea, Okinawa, Japan, Yokota, and throughout the United States.
Court Martial Lawyer - Philippines frees officers cleared over coup: military
Court Martial Lawyer
Philippines frees officers cleared over coup: military
(AFP) – 14 hours ago
MANILA — Eleven Philippine military officers who were cleared of involvement in a coup plot against President Gloria Arroyo were freed Tuesday and will be able to rejoin their units, military officials said.
The officers, ranging in rank from colonel to first lieutenant, were freed after a court martial acquitted them last month, saying it had not found enough evidence that they were part of the conspiracy to unseat Arroyo.
They had been in military detention since February 2006.
"The 11 officers that were found to be cleared by the general court martial will finally be turned over to their respective major services as free men," said spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Romeo Brawner.
The delay in releasing the 11 was attributed to procedural requirements and the need for medical examinations after a lengthy detention.
Military chief General Victor Ibrado met with the 11 before they were freed, saying: "I would just like to see them and have some chit-chat."
The eleven were part of a group that barricaded themselves into a military camp in February 2006 in protest at the sacking of the then head of the marines, Major General Renato Miranda.
Miranda is among several defendants still on trial.
The government alleged the protest by the officers was part of a broader plot to overthrow Arroyo, who has been the target of at least three alleged coup plots by rogue soldiers during her eight years in power.-----------------
Michael Waddington is a court martial lawyer - court martial attorney that defends military personnel worldwide as well as deployed civilian contractors subject to the UCMJ. He defends Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine, Coast Guard, and civilian contractor court martial cases. He has successfully defended military personnel as a court martial lawyer Army Navy Marine & Air Force court martials in Germany, England, San Diego, Norfolk, Jacksonville, Fort Bragg, Fort Jackson, Fort Stewart, Fort Gordon, Italy, Iraq, Kuwait, Korea, Okinawa, Japan, Yokota, and throughout the United States.
Philippines frees officers cleared over coup: military
(AFP) – 14 hours ago
MANILA — Eleven Philippine military officers who were cleared of involvement in a coup plot against President Gloria Arroyo were freed Tuesday and will be able to rejoin their units, military officials said.
The officers, ranging in rank from colonel to first lieutenant, were freed after a court martial acquitted them last month, saying it had not found enough evidence that they were part of the conspiracy to unseat Arroyo.
They had been in military detention since February 2006.
"The 11 officers that were found to be cleared by the general court martial will finally be turned over to their respective major services as free men," said spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Romeo Brawner.
The delay in releasing the 11 was attributed to procedural requirements and the need for medical examinations after a lengthy detention.
Military chief General Victor Ibrado met with the 11 before they were freed, saying: "I would just like to see them and have some chit-chat."
The eleven were part of a group that barricaded themselves into a military camp in February 2006 in protest at the sacking of the then head of the marines, Major General Renato Miranda.
Miranda is among several defendants still on trial.
The government alleged the protest by the officers was part of a broader plot to overthrow Arroyo, who has been the target of at least three alleged coup plots by rogue soldiers during her eight years in power.-----------------
Michael Waddington is a court martial lawyer - court martial attorney that defends military personnel worldwide as well as deployed civilian contractors subject to the UCMJ. He defends Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine, Coast Guard, and civilian contractor court martial cases. He has successfully defended military personnel as a court martial lawyer Army Navy Marine & Air Force court martials in Germany, England, San Diego, Norfolk, Jacksonville, Fort Bragg, Fort Jackson, Fort Stewart, Fort Gordon, Italy, Iraq, Kuwait, Korea, Okinawa, Japan, Yokota, and throughout the United States.
Court of Appeals to visit Fort Campbell - Court Martial News
Court of Appeals to visit Fort Campbell
October 31, 2009 |
Fort Campbell – The United States Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces will convene Nov. 4 at Fort Campbell to hear appellate arguments in the case of United States v. Cowgill at 3 p.m. in the 101st Division Headquarters Building. The hearing is open to the public.
The case involves an Air Force staff sergeant who is appealing his conviction for using marijuana and cocaine and possessing marijuana. At the conclusion of his court-martial, Staff Sgt. James Cowgill was sentenced to two months confinement, a reduction in pay grade to E-1 and a bad conduct discharge.
The issue before the court is whether the military judge improperly denied Cowgill’s motion to suppress all evidence seized from his house.
The court’s Fort Campbell visit is part of an Outreach Program. Although most of the court’s hearings are held in Washington, D.C., the court also travels on occasion and hears appeals at military installations, law schools and other public facilities around the country.
The goal of the Outreach Project is to educate the public on the legal process in the military, while giving Americans a chance to see and experience high-level appellate proceedings on criminal cases involving such topics as constitutional law, criminal law, evidence, criminal procedure, ethics, administrative law and national security law.
Courts-martial, the judicial proceedings conducted by the armed forces for service members accused of crimes, have been used in the U.S. since they were first authorized by the Continental Congress in 1775. However, until the Uniform Code of Military Justice was enacted in 1950, the appellate processes for service members convicted by courts-martial were very limited compared to the civilian appellate process. This changed in 1950 when appellate courts were first established by Articles 66 and 67 of the UCMJ. The UCMJ brought consistency and unity to the different services’ military justice systems, as well greatly expanded the legal rights of Soldiers.
Full art
icle posted at http://www.clarksvilleonline.com/2009/10/31/court-of-appeals-to-visit-fort-campbell/
-----------------
Michael Waddington is a court martial lawyer - court martial attorney that defends military personnel worldwide as well as deployed civilian contractors subject to the UCMJ. He defends Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine, Coast Guard, and civilian contractor court martial cases. He has successfully defended military personnel as a court martial lawyer Army Navy Marine & Air Force court martials in Germany, England, San Diego, Norfolk, Jacksonville, Fort Bragg, Fort Jackson, Fort Stewart, Fort Gordon, Italy, Iraq, Kuwait, Korea, Okinawa, Japan, Yokota, and throughout the United States.
October 31, 2009 |
Fort Campbell – The United States Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces will convene Nov. 4 at Fort Campbell to hear appellate arguments in the case of United States v. Cowgill at 3 p.m. in the 101st Division Headquarters Building. The hearing is open to the public.
The case involves an Air Force staff sergeant who is appealing his conviction for using marijuana and cocaine and possessing marijuana. At the conclusion of his court-martial, Staff Sgt. James Cowgill was sentenced to two months confinement, a reduction in pay grade to E-1 and a bad conduct discharge.
The issue before the court is whether the military judge improperly denied Cowgill’s motion to suppress all evidence seized from his house.
The court’s Fort Campbell visit is part of an Outreach Program. Although most of the court’s hearings are held in Washington, D.C., the court also travels on occasion and hears appeals at military installations, law schools and other public facilities around the country.
The goal of the Outreach Project is to educate the public on the legal process in the military, while giving Americans a chance to see and experience high-level appellate proceedings on criminal cases involving such topics as constitutional law, criminal law, evidence, criminal procedure, ethics, administrative law and national security law.
Courts-martial, the judicial proceedings conducted by the armed forces for service members accused of crimes, have been used in the U.S. since they were first authorized by the Continental Congress in 1775. However, until the Uniform Code of Military Justice was enacted in 1950, the appellate processes for service members convicted by courts-martial were very limited compared to the civilian appellate process. This changed in 1950 when appellate courts were first established by Articles 66 and 67 of the UCMJ. The UCMJ brought consistency and unity to the different services’ military justice systems, as well greatly expanded the legal rights of Soldiers.
Full art
icle posted at http://www.clarksvilleonline.com/2009/10/31/court-of-appeals-to-visit-fort-campbell/
-----------------
Michael Waddington is a court martial lawyer - court martial attorney that defends military personnel worldwide as well as deployed civilian contractors subject to the UCMJ. He defends Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine, Coast Guard, and civilian contractor court martial cases. He has successfully defended military personnel as a court martial lawyer Army Navy Marine & Air Force court martials in Germany, England, San Diego, Norfolk, Jacksonville, Fort Bragg, Fort Jackson, Fort Stewart, Fort Gordon, Italy, Iraq, Kuwait, Korea, Okinawa, Japan, Yokota, and throughout the United States.
