Judge questions effect of Trump comments on Bergdahl case

[Eugene]

Source: Associated Press

FORT BRAGG, N.C. (AP) — A military judge called President Donald Trump's scathing campaign-trail criticism of Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl "disturbing" on Monday and questioned whether it would make the public think the soldier can't get a fair trial for walking off his post in Afghanistan in 2009.

During a pretrial hearing, defense attorneys played part of a video exhibit in which Trump repeatedly says at campaign appearances that Bergdahl is a "traitor" who should be harshly punished. Bergdahl's lawyers argue the comments violate their client's due-process rights and that the case should be dismissed.

The judge, Army Col. Jeffery Nance, didn't immediately rule on the defense request, but called the footage of Trump condemning Bergdahl "disturbing material." A written decision was expected later.

Defense lawyers played about five minutes of the footage in which Trump repeatedly used phrases such as "no good traitor" to refer to the soldier who was held captive by the Taliban and its allies for five years.

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Read more: http://bigstory.ap.org/article/46189f8254a149eb8b88ea30e2130f9b/bergdahl-hearing-expected-focus-criticism-trump

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By JONATHAN DREW
Feb. 13, 2017 1:50 PM EST

[yallerdawg]

1. Since this is a military affair...

and the opinions were issued by the now Commander-in-Chief for an extended period of time, this process is poisoned.

It really doesn't matter how the military judges Bergdahl - it was how our enemies on the battlefield judged him that should carry the greatest weight for determining justice.

Our enemies damn sure didn't treat him like a deserter!

[TheDebbieDee]

2. A candidate for President calls you a traitor

By NAME and the Judge, has to THINK about whether or not you will get a fair trial? That Judge is a moron!

Also, I think Sgt Bergdahl may have been having mental health issues when he wandered off into the desert in the first place. His unit turned a blind eye to his strange behavior and then got caught with their pants down when he walked away...

[jmowreader]

3. Ultimate Donald Trump smackdown

"This court finds the defendant, Sergeant Bowe Bergdahl, willingly absented himself from his post for five years.

"The court also finds two significant matters in mitigation: first, that Sergeant Bergdahl could not have returned to his unit even if he wanted to because he was captured by the Taliban within hours of his departure; and second, that statements made by one Donald J. Trump while he was a presidential candidate, later as the president-elect, and finally as President of the United States have attainted Sergeant Bergdahl's case to the point where any punishment beyond what he suffered at the hands of the enemy would be unjust.

"The court therefore sentences Sergeant Bowe Bergdahl to time served and honorable discharge."

[onenote]

4. You realize that some people are going to mistakenly think what you wrote is real.

[jmowreader]

5. True, but oh well...