Court martial set for US soldier over hazing death
Source: Agencies |
July 25, 2012, Wednesday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
THE first of eight court-martial trials was to begin yesterday for United States soldiers accused of hazing a Chinese-American recruit over his ethnicity until he killed himself in Afghanistan.
Sergeant Adam Holcomb of Youngstown, Ohio, will be the first of eight men to go before a military court in Fort Bragg. Holcomb faces a slew of charges, the most serious of which is negligent homicide, and could get nearly 18 years in prison if convicted on all counts.
Military officials say 19-year-old Danny Chen shot himself last year in Afghanistan after weeks of emotional and physical abuse. According to court documents, Chen was kicked, dragged from his tent and had sandbags tied to his arms.
He was called racial slurs and forced to speak to his fellow soldiers in Chinese, according to his family, with whom he shared details of his ordeal. For months, beginning during training, soldiers in his platoon peppered him with racial insults such as "Jackie Chen" and "Dragon Lady," his family said. On the day he died, they say he was forced to crawl about 91 meters across gravel carrying his equipment while fellow soldiers threw rocks at him.
He had been deployed for two months when he was found dead in a guardhouse.
Eight soldiers are facing charges ranging from dereliction of duty to involuntary manslaughter in connection with Chen's death.
Besides Holcomb, four other soldiers are also charged with negligent homicide. The judge's decision in Holcomb's case could be an indicator for the other soldiers.
Chinese-American community members, elected officials, documentary filmmakers and supporters of the Chen family held a news conference on Monday in Manhattan's Chinatown, where Chen was born and raised. Many of the group members were making the 10-hour drive to Fayetteville, North Carolina, for the trial.
Sergeant Adam Holcomb of Youngstown, Ohio, will be the first of eight men to go before a military court in Fort Bragg. Holcomb faces a slew of charges, the most serious of which is negligent homicide, and could get nearly 18 years in prison if convicted on all counts.
Military officials say 19-year-old Danny Chen shot himself last year in Afghanistan after weeks of emotional and physical abuse. According to court documents, Chen was kicked, dragged from his tent and had sandbags tied to his arms.
He was called racial slurs and forced to speak to his fellow soldiers in Chinese, according to his family, with whom he shared details of his ordeal. For months, beginning during training, soldiers in his platoon peppered him with racial insults such as "Jackie Chen" and "Dragon Lady," his family said. On the day he died, they say he was forced to crawl about 91 meters across gravel carrying his equipment while fellow soldiers threw rocks at him.
He had been deployed for two months when he was found dead in a guardhouse.
Eight soldiers are facing charges ranging from dereliction of duty to involuntary manslaughter in connection with Chen's death.
Besides Holcomb, four other soldiers are also charged with negligent homicide. The judge's decision in Holcomb's case could be an indicator for the other soldiers.
Chinese-American community members, elected officials, documentary filmmakers and supporters of the Chen family held a news conference on Monday in Manhattan's Chinatown, where Chen was born and raised. Many of the group members were making the 10-hour drive to Fayetteville, North Carolina, for the trial.
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