What he was doing he was doing in the open, and he was doing it because he believed the information in fact would save lives.
When you compare the sentence for Capt. Schweitzer, who was the one who actually destroyed the tape, with the sentence Capt. Ashby received, it's hard to understand the disparity.
I believe this is an error of constitutional magnitude. I believe it justifies a declaration of a mistrial.
He was an evil man, funding the insurgency. The insurgency was beginning to grow, soldiers were dying and interrogators were under pressure to get information that would save soldiers' lives.
Most likely, it will not be delayed, but anything can happen in love and war.
Who has the power now, the drill sergeant or the trainee? If drill sergeants say, 'Run up that hill,' privates are going to say, 'You sexually harassed me,' ... This is a real risk you run if you find drill sergeant Simpson guilty.
We do think the court members (jury) had to consider the fact there were people who died in this tragic accident, and we are concerned they let that override their decision in terms of looking at what the real offense was in this particular court-martial.
When you send our men and women over there to fight, and to put their lives on the line, you've got to back them up, you've got to give them clear rules, and you've got to give them enough room to make mistakes without treating them like criminals.
You have to back (soldiers) up. You've got to give them clear rules and give them room to make mistakes so they aren't treated like criminals when they come home.
Convict him of stupidity for not giving special treatment, but don't convict him of rape.
The simple conclusion you can draw is that the tape and video camera had nothing to do with the accident. It was a private tape; it wasn't a government tape. It was a private video camera.
So you have no personal knowledge that any rules were being violated.
The verdict reflects the context in which these events took place. The jury recognized confusion about the rules that govern interrogation.
If you convict Sgt. Simpson, you'll be sending a message out to the Army that no drill sergeant is safe.
He also told you that at times he was in a dream-like state?