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| Update on Capt. James Yee, our favorite chappy |
| 2004-04-08 |
| EFL SEATTLE - A Muslim Army chaplain embroiled in a case involving a suspected espionage ring at the Guantanamo Bay detention center in Cuba returned home to Fort Lewis on Monday. Capt. James Yee arrived at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport about 4:20 p.m., a few hours late after he had problems clearing security and missed his original flight. ``Both he and his father have experienced this problem since the character assassination against him began last year,’’ his lawyer, Eugene Fidell, said early Monday morning. In the past, Fidell said, Yee has been refused a plane ticket, but he did not know specifically what delayed the chaplain on Monday as he was trying to depart from Baltimore. Yee’s wife and daughter live in Olympia. ``It’s the kind of thing that demonstrates how critical it is that the government ... clear his name and get him out of this security limbo,’’ Fidell said. Yee, 35, spent 76 days in custody after the military linked him to a possible espionage ring at Guantanamo Bay. He was eventually charged with mishandling classified material, failing to obey an order, making a false official statement, adultery and conduct unbecoming an officer. Last month the Army dismissed all criminal charges, but did find him guilty of the minor violations of adultery and improperly downloading pornography onto an Army computer. He also requested Gen. James Hill, commander of the U.S. Southern Command, recuse himself from the case and asked that the military return Yee’s passport, restore him to duty and grant him a formal apology. As of Monday he said he had received no response. Ain’t gonna happen. Fidell has said the Army’s decision to drop most of the charges and hold an Article 15 proceeding - used to settle minor disciplinary issues - hurt Yee’s defense preparation and minimized media scrutiny. Also dropped the level of proof to a preponderance of evidence where 50% sure he’s guilty plus the smallest smidge is good enough. |
| Posted by:Super Hose |
| #6 Gotta disagree here. If the guy is guilty of something, the government should say so and make its case. If not, they should shut up and use non-judicial means to neutralize the guy if they have sufficient suspicions. Trans fer him to Thule or wherever. But smearing people is a bad habit to get into and will dilute domestic resolve for the real WoT. |
| Posted by: Mr. Davis 2004-05-30 12:13:51 PM |
| #5 I think the guy was guilty as hell, but the GOV.. didn't want to have to release certain intel info they defense was sure to ask for. Don't you think the Dept. of Justice has enough on it's hands for now? |
| Posted by: Anonymous5060 2004-05-30 12:05:14 PM |
| #4 It's that other career he apparently thought he really had that worries me. 'Course, he'll never get in a position again to pursue that "career" effectively. And I expect he'll be watched, too. Good. |
| Posted by: Barbara Skolaut 2004-04-08 9:57:37 PM |
| #3 Minor disciplinary issue or not, he can kiss whatever career he thought he had goodbye. |
| Posted by: Pappy 2004-04-08 8:39:49 PM |
| #2 right you are,Ranger |
| Posted by: Raptor 2004-04-08 7:23:33 AM |
| #1 Something doesn't smell right here. All he needed to do was refuse to accept being disciplined under Article 15 - he could reject the Article 15 and demand a courts martial. So - the fact that he underwent Articke 15 punishment meant that he accepted this route - effectively the equivalent of a plea bargain. |
| Posted by: Lone Ranger 2004-04-08 7:01:25 AM |