Posted at 2:47 p.m., Monday, July 16, 2007
Watada's second court-martial delayed to Oct. 9
Associated Press
FORT LEWIS, Wash. — The second court-martial for a Honolulu-born officer who refused to deploy to Iraq has been moved to Oct. 9, Army officials said today.Lt. Ehren Watada's trial was to begin next week, but government and defense attorneys requested a new date.
Watada is charged with missing deployment in June 2006 and conduct unbecoming an officer for comments made about President Bush and the Iraq war. If convicted, he faces six years in prison and dishonorable discharge.
He contends the war is illegal. His first trial ended in a mistrial.
An Army judge ruled earlier that trying Watada again for refusing to go to Iraq won't violate his constitutional right not to be prosecuted twice for the same crime.
Watada's lawyers immediately filed notice that they will appeal the ruling to the Army Court of Criminal Appeals in Arlington, Virginia.
