Watada beats the Government
CounterPunch
by Marjorie Cohn
02/08/07
When the Army judge declared a mistrial over defense objection in 1st Lt. Ehren Watada’s court martial yesterday, he probably didn’t realize jeopardy attached. That means that under the Double Jeopardy Clause of the Constitution, the government cannot retry Lt. Watada on the same charges of missing movement and conduct unbecoming an officer. … Lt. Ehren Watada was correct when he said the war is illegal and he would be party to war crimes if he deployed to Iraq. The orders to deploy were unlawful and Lt. Watada had a duty to disobey them. Although he faces the possibility of a dishonorable discharge, the judge’s grant of a mistrial precludes retrial on the same criminal charges...
http://www.counterpunch.org/cohn02082007.html
Informant: Thomas L. Knapp
http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=Watada
http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=Marjorie+Cohn
by Marjorie Cohn
02/08/07
When the Army judge declared a mistrial over defense objection in 1st Lt. Ehren Watada’s court martial yesterday, he probably didn’t realize jeopardy attached. That means that under the Double Jeopardy Clause of the Constitution, the government cannot retry Lt. Watada on the same charges of missing movement and conduct unbecoming an officer. … Lt. Ehren Watada was correct when he said the war is illegal and he would be party to war crimes if he deployed to Iraq. The orders to deploy were unlawful and Lt. Watada had a duty to disobey them. Although he faces the possibility of a dishonorable discharge, the judge’s grant of a mistrial precludes retrial on the same criminal charges...
http://www.counterpunch.org/cohn02082007.html
Informant: Thomas L. Knapp
http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=Watada
http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=Marjorie+Cohn
rudkla - 9. Feb, 15:39
