| TOP TEN OF 2006: Politics, murder among year's biggest stories | | Posted Monday, January 01, 2007 12:46:04 PM by Blog57 Team | | The primary election defeat of a longtime state senator and the conviction of an illegal alien for three murders outside an Altoona club were selected as the top local stories of 2006. The Top 10 stories were voted on by the Mirror editorial staff. The following is a look at those stories: 1. Eichelberger defeats Jubelirer Blair County Commissioner John H. Eichelberger Jr. defeated incumbent Senate President Pro Tem Robert Jubelirer, R-Blair, in the May 16 primary election. The loss of Jubelirer, who served as state senator from the 30th District for 32 years, was called a traumatic shock wave, the likes we havent seen in decades and a stunning upset by political analysts. Jubelirer and Senate Majority Leader David J. Brightbill lost their primary races.... | |
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| | | Air Force officer faces court-martial | | Posted Tuesday, November 14, 2006 10:46:03 AM by Blog57 Team | | EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. An Eglin Air Force Base captain is facing a general court-martial on accusations he raped four men. Captain Devery Taylor was the chief of patient administration for the base's medical support squadron. An Eglin spokeswoman says that a trial date hasn't been set. Taylor faces four counts of forcible sodomy, three counts of kidnapping and two counts of attempted sodomy. Copyright 2006 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. .... | |
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| | | IN BRIEF | | Posted Sunday, November 05, 2006 10:45:44 PM by Blog57 Team | | The father of the first commissioned U.S. Army officer to refuse to fight in Iraq will visit Ann Arbor on Monday to discuss his son's plight as he awaits court martial. Bob Watada, father of Lt. Ehren Watada, will give a presentation at 8 p.m. at Angell Hall on the University of Michigan campus. It will coincide with a viewing of "The Ground Truth,'' an hour-long documentary depicting the impact of the Iraq war on U.S. troops. Watada, a 28-year-old Hawaii native, in June refused to deploy to Iraq because he believes the war is illegal. The event is sponsored by Michigan Peaceworks, the Residential College, MSA Peace and Justice Commission, Veterans for Peace, Military Families Speak Out and Pax Christi. Call 734-761-5922 for more information.... | |
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| | | Court-martial for Lim, Querubin | | Posted Saturday, October 28, 2006 10:46:13 AM by Blog57 Team | | ARMY AND MARINE officers implicated in the failed coup last February are to be tried by a court-martial, based on the recommendation of a military investigating panel. The pre-trial investigation panel concluded that there exists probable cause and recommended trial by general court-martial, said Armed Forces spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Bartolome Bacarro. The three-man panel from the Judge Advocate Generals Office, led by JAGO deputy chief Colonel Al Perreras, submitted a 200-page report, with 100 pages of attachments, to Armed Forces Chief of Staff General Hermogenes Esperon Jr. earlier this week.. Esperon has turned over the report to his Staff Judge Advocate for review, with instructions that he complete the task without delay. Twenty-five officers from the Armys elite Scout Rangers led by ex-commander Brigadier General Danilo Lim and 13 Marines led by ex-commandant Major General Renato Miranda and Colonel Ariel Querubin were arrested and investigated for attempting to start or create a mutiny.... | |
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| | | Soldiers face court martial | | Posted Thursday, October 19, 2006 10:45:37 PM by Blog57 Team | | WASHINGTON: Four US soldiers face court martial for the rape and murder of an Iraqi girl and the killing of her family in their home in Mahmudiya, a US military official said yesterday. "Maj Gen Thomas Turner has referred charges against four soldiers to trial by general court-martial," the military official said. Two of the soldiers could receive the death penalty if convicted, the Army said. One of the two others will likely admit his role and settle the case without litigation, according to his Washington attorney, David Sheldon. The Mahmudiya case, the fifth involving serious crimes being investigated by the US military in Iraq, has outraged Iraqis and led Prime Minister Nuri Al Maliki to call for a review of foreign troops' immunity from Iraqi prosecution.... | |
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| | | Military not rushing coup probe to avoid half-baked raps | | Posted Wednesday, October 11, 2006 2:45:38 PM by Blog57 Team | | THE MILITARY does not want to rush the pre-court martial investigation on 38 officers linked to a failed February coup d'etat, saying it does not want to file a "half-baked" complaint against the group. Hurrying the three-month-old inquiry of the Judge Advocate General's Office (JAGO) could lead to the dismissal of the charges on a "technicality," said Lieutenant Colonel Bartolome Bacarro, Armed Forces spokesman. "We cannot rush it [investigation]. If we file it [the charges], it might be half-baked and we don't want that to happen," Bacarro said. "People who violated laws, regulations, and policies might get off scot-free because of some technicalities... We want a thorough investigation," he added. Bacarro said no timeline has been set for the pre-trial investigation to finish.... | |
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| | | 10 Army Officers to Face Court Martial | | Posted Monday, October 09, 2006 12:45:37 PM by Blog57 Team | | The military officers allegedly involved in the 21st March 2006 abortive coup will now be tried by a military court known as court martial. At yesterdays hearing of the matter, Justice Agim stated that the hearing of the day before was only for administrative matters, noting that it is fitting to make appropriate preparation to enable the proceedings to commence in earnest. Justice Agim at length ruled that the sitting on the matter would be adjourned to the 11th of October 2006, adding that on that day the accused persons will be in court. The military officers to be tried by the court martial include Capt. Bunja Darboe, Capt. Yahya Darboe, Capt. Wassa Camara, 2nd Lt Pharing Sanyang, Capt. Abdoukarim Jah, Capt. Pierre Mendy, Capt. Samba Bah, Lt.... | |
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| | | AWOL Iraq War Veteran Says War's Immoral; He's Turning Himself In | | Posted Tuesday, October 03, 2006 6:45:47 AM by Blog57 Team | | LOS ANGELES (AP) -- An AWOL Army medic who served a year in Iraq, then left his unit in Germany rather than be sent back, says war is immoral. But he's surrendering to face court-martial because "it's the right thing to do." Specialist Agustin Aguayo, outside a Los Angeles church, said he'll give himself up at Fort Irwin, in the Southern California desert. Aguayo has fought more than two years for conscientious objector status and a discharge. He lost a suit against the Army, but if he wins on appeal, it would negate any conviction. Arguments will be heard in November. In the meantime, he says he can live with doing jail time -- but not with war, which he calls unacceptable to God. The 34-year-old soldier has twin daughters.... | |
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| | | Bleak in Basra, court martial told | | Posted Sunday, September 24, 2006 6:45:35 PM by Blog57 Team | | The commanding officer of British soldiers accused of war crimes in Iraq admitted there were bound to be times when the harsh conditions his men worked in got the better of them, a court martial heard yesterday. Colonel Jorge Mendonca said the troops faced a constant threat of attack, worked as many as 20 hours a day and could not sleep in the sweltering heat during their brief breaks. Four of Col Mendonca's soldiers are accused of abusing Iraqi prisoners, while he and two other officers face charges of failing to make sure the detainees were treated properly. The court martial at Bulford in Wiltshire was told about a letter which Col Mendonca wrote to a fellow officer 18 months after the alleged abuse took place at a camp in Basra, southern Iraq, in September 2003. Painting a bleak picture of life in Basra, he said the soldiers faced a constant risk of attack from improvised explosive devices, small arms fire and stones and bricks.... | |
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| | | Court-Martial Recommended For Accused Marine | | Posted Saturday, September 16, 2006 6:46:17 AM by Blog57 Team | | The officer who presided over the evidentiary hearing of a Camp Pendleton Marine accused in the death of an Iraqi civilian in Hamdania has recommended a court-martial, the serviceman's attorney said Thursday. Joseph Casas, who represents Pfc. John Jodka, said investigating officer Col. Paul Pugliese sent the recommendation for Jodka's court-martial to a staff judge advocate following an Article 32 hearing on Aug. 30. An Article 32 hearing is equivalent to a grand jury or preliminary hearing in civilian court, where minimal evidence may be presented to determine whether the case should proceed to trial. .... | |
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