A military judge has rejected arguments by attorneys for Idaho U.S. Army Sergeant Bowe Bergdahl that criticism by President Donald Trump is preventing him from having a fair sentencing hearing.
Bergdahl, a Hailey native, faces up to life in prison after pleading guilty to charges that he endangered comrades by walking off his post in Afghanistan in 2009.
At Fort Brag, North Carolina, Monday, the judge, Army Colonel Jeffery Nance, said the court has not been directly affected by Trump’s criticism of Bergdahl. He also ruled that a reasonable member of the public would not have doubts about the fairness of military justice because of Trump’s comments. He rejected a defense request to rule that it would be unfair to give Bergdahl any prison time. The judge did say, however, that he would consider Trump’s comments as a mitigating factor in the sentencing.
Other mitigating and aggravating factors that he could consider include Bergdahl’s mental health and serious wounds to service members who searched for him. (AP)
