Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire O'Reilly and the Navy SEALS

He wants them pardoned, which is a mistake, as it implies guilt, which never occurred to him, apparently. Plus, Obama isn't going to give it. Only outgoing presidents in the last hour or two of their terms give pardons. Geraldo, who was on at the same program, wants the case "dismissed" I think he said, which ain't going to happen either. Essentially, Geraldo wants it to go away.

I think they're missing the larger issue here. The trial and not guilty finding is ESSENTIAL. And I think this is how it's going to turn out.

Once they are tried and found not guilty, they are immune from retrial as it would place them in double jeapordy. Since there is no Grand Jury system in the military to No Bill them three times, making dismissal mandatory, I think this trial is very necessary to keep some nut of a congress-person from demanding they be re-tried. Or prevent someone in America who has standing to take warrants out agaist the SEALS. Can't happen.

I thought the first trial was over, Not Guilty.

True.

I didn't here it that way, I thought he said they should drop the charges.

Let's lay the axe at the root of the tree, shall we? The military commander who pressed the issue against the Navy Seals should be asked to turn in his resignation!

No, it was Geraldo who wants a presidential pardon . . . Bill wants the charges dropped. Geraldo might have "converted" to the Republican party, but he's still a puke.

Sorry Gene, but its Otter who is spot on and "heard" what was really said and by whom.

Geraldo never fails to pzz me meoff! What an azzwipe.

Agreed!

First trial is over. Guy can't be charged again with that crime. A "dropping" of charges is nothing, worse than nothing. When the SEALs get back home, a nutjob relative of the supposed victim here could swear out new charges in a federal court. (So long has he has standing to do so.) And he would be tried with God knows who on the jury. But not if he's been found Not Guilty.

And as I said, a pardon implies guilt. Geraldo should have known that as a lawyer, but maybe he isn't a lawyer. Anyone with any legal sense would know to pardon them is to say, "Yep, they're guilty of punching the guy, but I'm going to let them off." It's impossible to make it look anywhere nearly as good as a Not Guilty verdict would.

Geraldo is a very good reporter, and his heart is with the troops. I think he loves BO, but I don't think it would stop him from doing his job as a reporter if something negative to BO came up, though. I may not like him, but I trust him.

As for the Naval Officer deserving punishment....wait, now. If he's pretty well convinced of the innocence of his troops, why NOT let them go thru the system to immunize them from further jeapordy? It could be a smooth move on his part.

Bill was emphasizing that now the first marine was acquitted, they now needed to drop the charges on the other two.

That O'Reily or Geraldo doesn't get it should be nothing new.

As I understand it the two yet to face trial are a result of a cover-up of the incident alleged by the military.

I believe this whole incident shows that a very dangerous spawn of political correctness has invaded the military and is firmly seated in the top levels where it should be forever unwelcome. To have allowed something as ridiculous and damaging as this to gain any legs, much less international attention, should mean the end of many highly placed careers apart from those charged. But it won't.

Yet another ominous sign of the times.

2nd trial begins this morning and I suspect the jury's verdict will differ from the first only in lessening the amount of time it takes to deliberate before a not guilty verdict is pronounced.

Did Bill really call a seal a marine?

In the second trial, the accused elected for the trial to be heard by the Judge only, no jury involved, UCMJ permits this. Will be very interesting to see if politics gets its ugly head in the tent, or if the Judge will do the right thing.

There's no trial, it's a Court Martial, and the board hearing the case are officers. Maybe a E 9 or to on the board.

Civilian trials permit a Bench trial in anything but a capital punishment case, I believe.

As in all United States criminal courts, courts-martial are adversarial proceedings. Military lawyers of the Judge Advocate General's Corps (JAG) representing the government and appointed military lawyers representing the accused present and argue relevant facts, legal aspects, and theories before a military judge. The accused can also hire civilian representation at their own expense.

The lawyers must follow military rules of procedure and evidence as allowed by the presiding judge. During these trial proceedings, the military judge decides questions of law. In non-capital cases, the accused may request to be tried by the military judge alone or by a jury, however, discretion in granting such request lies with the military judge. A court-martial jury is called a panel of members. This panel decides questions of fact as allowed by law, unless the accused chooses to be tried by judge alone, in which case the judge will resolve questions of law and questions of fact. Both the court-martial members and the military judge are members of the armed forces. Members of a court-martial are commissioned officers, unless the accused is a warrant officer or enlisted member and requests that the membership reflect their position by including warrant or enlisted members. Only a court-martial can determine innocence or guilt.

With proper attribution to Karnis for providing the news, a second not guilty verdict has been handed down.

This trial started this morning. Talk about accelerated followed by a very quick pronouncement of not guilty...damn!!

TWO DOWN-ONE TO GO!

Excellent news. Let's hope this is indicative of what will happen in the third trial. I just hope they don't try to make an example of the last guy just to show they are an "enlightened" group.

I have been a trial consul in a military court martial. Not a General, or even a Special, but still a court martial.

I won.