Bergdahl’s Military Criminal Defense Team
According the Fox News, the military criminal defense team for Bowe Bergdahl is making another attempt at dismissing the charges against their client:
Attorneys for accused Army deserter Bowe Bergdahl took their third shot Thursday at getting his case tossed, once again arguing that President Trump blew their client’s chance of a fair trial when he called the sergeant and former Taliban captive “a dirty, rotten traitor.”
In a 50-page appeal to the United States Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces, Bergdahl’s legal team argued that the “unprecedented circumstances” of then-candidate Trump calling Bergdahl a traitor and suggesting he should be executed create an “unlawful command influence.” The term refers to a military legal concept in which someone in authority attempts to influence military judicial proceedings.
“They cannot be scrubbed from the record as if he had simply put on a clean shirt for the Inauguration.” – Appeal filing on behalf of Bowe Bergdahl
A lower court judge rejected the argument on the grounds that Trump was a private citizen when he spoke out. The court noted Trump has made no statements about Bergdahl since being elected in November. In the latest filing, Bergdahl’s attorneys argued that “by not repudiating his earlier statements, President Trump brought them with him” into the White House. “They cannot be scrubbed from the record as if he had simply put on a clean shirt for the Inauguration,” Bergdahl’s team wrote.
The court-martial for Bergdahl is scheduled to begin on August 7th. Bergdahl will face charges of desertion and misbehavior before the enemy after walking off his post in Afghanistan in 2009.
Civilian Defense Counsel
Our law office provides representation to Soldiers charged at a court-martial. A court-martial conviction can have lasting impact on your life. It is important that you obtain an experienced civilian counsel as the lead attorney for your military criminal defense team. Contact our office for a free initial consultation.