A judge will hear more arguments Tuesday about whether injuries to soldiers on a search mission should be allowed as evidence that U.S. Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl endangered comrades by walking off his post in Afghanistan.
On Monday, the judge, Army. Col. Jeffery Nance, also agreed to delay Bergdahl’s trial by several months until May 15, 2017. Prosecutors asked for the delay because of the slow pace at which they’re getting approval to turn over classified evidence.
Prosecutors are arguing that two wounded soldiers’ injuries should be allowed as evidence to show that Bergdahl’s disappearance effectively put other military members in harm’s way.
Bergdahl is charged with desertion and misbehavior before the enemy, the latter of which carries a maximum penalty of life in prison.
U.S. Air Force Maj. John Marx testified about a firefight that occurred after he and several others joined about 50 members of the Afghan National Army on a search for Bergdahl. They were attacked by enemy fighters after setting up a checkpoint near a town in Afghanistan on July 8, 2009.
Marx testified about fighting alongside U.S. Army National Guard Sgt. 1st Class Mark Allen, who was shot in the head during the firefight. Prosecutors said Allen suffered a traumatic brain injury that has left him in a wheelchair and unable to communicate. Another soldier had hand injuries and required surgery because of a rocket-propelled grenade.
Marx, who said the mission’s sole purpose was to search for Bergdahl, testified that he was next to Allen as bullets flew around them.
“I looked at him, then I see a trickle of blood coming down his head,” Marx testified. Asked where Allen was wounded, Marx pointed at his temples and said: “Right through his head.”
Bergdahl, dressed in a white shirt and blue pants, appeared stoic as he listened.
Marx and two others involved in the firefight said they came from another part of Afghanistan to take part in a hastily planned search mission. They had been embedded with Afghan soldiers to help train them.
Prosecutors have said evidence of the injuries will help them show that Bergdahl endangered his comrades, one of the elements of the misbehavior before the enemy charge.
Defense attorneys have argued that Bergdahl was not responsible for the injuries, writing in a motion earlier this year that: “Allen’s injuries were directly caused by the Taliban, not by SGT Bergdahl.”
After at least one more witness Tuesday, both sides are set to finish their arguments on the matter.
Bergdahl, who’s from Hailey, Idaho, walked off his post in Afghanistan in 2009 and was held captive by the Taliban and its allies for five years. He has said he wanted to cause an alarm and draw attention to what he saw as problems with his unit. The Obama administration’s decision to swap prisoners for his return was heavily criticized by some Republicans.
The Associated Press contributed to this article.
Why are they even letting this idiot run loose.The military has sure deteriarated. When I was in the army he would have been tried long ago.If he was assigned a ranking officer as prosecuter HE WAS AUTIMATICALLY GOING TO BE found guilty and he would have had a military escort every where he went.
Come now, Moral Antagonist, we certainly do not want to violate any of the rights of this “brave soldier.” (Gag me with a spoon.)
YA, from what i read quit a while back they sent out 6 other men to look for this fool and those men lost their lives !!!! so they stopped looking for him after that….thank good, we didnt need more loves lost looking for a fool that wanted to lose his life !!!!!
Execute that traitorous slimeball already! He caused the deaths of several soldiers out looking to rescue him. He, along with Hillary, deserves the death penalty!
The piece of shit should NOT be allowed to wear the Army uniform to trial. He is a deserter and not a true American. Hang him!!! A true soldier would have been there right beside his brothers in any gun fight. He is a piece of shit.
Valerie Jarett called him a HERO!
That says a lot about Valerie Jarrett and the entire Obama admin!
Deserter Bergdahl was traded in order to release the 5 Radical Islam leaders from GITMO. Valerie Jarett called Bergdahl a HERO, to deceive the American people for the sake of favoring and empower Radical Islam .This is the administration of LIES AND DECEPTIONS. Now good riddance. Perhaps they’ll linger in hiding plotting some more how to destroy Trump.
This is another example of obamas control of the military, which he has zero understanding of. As I see this whole Bergdahl goat rope, it will drag on longer and longer until his actions are so diluted people will just say “get it over with”. Watch, they won’t allow into evidence the fact that two fellow solders were wounded, one is in a wheelchair , a paraplegic and cannot even speak. This character should already be at the minimum in prison for life or face a firing squad, instead he has been promoted and received 300k in back pay. What’s wrong with entire scenario?
What a crap pot of s**t! He deserted, is a traitor, caused wounds to military personnel, has eyewitness testimony saying they had to search for him and witnessed the woundings. It has been three (3) years since he was repatriated as a “self-imposed POW” and he still walks free. He has even been promoted! These officers should get off their duffs and see that he is put in Leavenworth NOW. Semper FI
Should be shot as a deserter in time of war.
the correct way for bergdoll to have handled this was to inform his immediate superior
he wanted to declare contentious objector status. he would have been replaced and
sent home to a more fitting job. how hard is that?
He’s guilty and should be shot for desertion not given life in prison – worthless cowardly piece of crap.
I’ll bet he’s a Liberal and will be pardoned by O’bozo the “Big Eared” Clown as part of his clemency program.
Life in prison is too good for this traitor.Just shoot him and be done with it.Obama should also be tried for his crimes! He took an oath to uphold and defend the constitution has he done that?He’s more of a traitor than Bergdahl!!!
George Washington would have executed this low life pile of manure himself on the spot.
In WWII some deserters were executed on the spot.
What has changed?? We have some incompetent self serving fool in the White House who
makes up laws as he feels. To trade a deserter for some radical towel heads is beyond
belief. It turned out that we are wasting time, money and resources on this issue when
the released subversive towel heads are back plotting attacks against Europe and America.
As Killary says: what difference does it make?? Makes adifference to me.