Up periscope weekend edition – 170110

A military court in Kuwait has convicted a third soldier in connection with the August suicide of 19-year-old Keiffer Wilhelm. Staff Sgt. Enoch Chatman of West Covina, Calif., received three months’ confinement and a written reprimand from the commanding general and was reduced two pay levels to a specialist. Chatman was among four soldiers charged with a variety of crimes after Wilhelm’s self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head on Aug. 4.

Mansfield News Journal reports.

A war resister who fled the U.S. for Canada, but was deported to face a court-martial, has been released from confinement. Cliff Cornell spent less than a year in a military prison at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina, and was released this morning [15 January 2010]. Cornell, who fled the U.S. for Canada in 2005 to avoid having to fight in Iraq, wants to return to Gabriola Island, B.C., Canada.

Canadian Press reports.

In a 16 January 2010 post Overlawyered blog notes:

Army seeks to court-martial soldier in Afghanistan for possessing “child pornography” when his mother sends him family photos that include a four-year-old in a swimsuit. [AP/WaPo via Riehl; WQAD]

If you’ve been following this one you’ll know that the charges also include possession of other adult pornography, all of which would be a violation of General Order #1. The accused has been held in Afghanistan, and has apparently now been there 17 months – a significant passing of the 400 days boots-on-the-ground policy.

Terri Miller said she had great respect for members of the armed services, but the way her son’s case was being handled had changed her mind about the military. “This is nothing against the troops,” she said, “but the military can go to hell.”

pjstar.com reports.