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| Navy judge convicts anti-war sailor |
| 2005-05-12 |
| Citizen (LT) Smash has been following this closely SAN DIEGO (Reuters) - A U.S. sailor who refused to board a warship bound for Iraq because he objects to the American invasion on moral grounds was convicted in a court martial on Wednesday. Navy Petty Officer Pablo Paredes, who refused to board the USS Bonhomme Richard as it was preparing to sail from San Diego in December, was convicted by a Navy judge on a charge of missing his deployment. Paredes, 23, a rallying point for opponents of the war in Iraq, was driven by conscience, an international law specialist testified on Wednesday. U.S. Navy Judge Robert Klant dismissed a second charge of unauthorized absence from his post. Paredes faces a maximum sentence of one year in prison, a bad conduct discharge, loss of two thirds of his pay and a demotion. The sentencing phase of the hearing was set to continue on Thursday. "We got one of the charges knocked down and, as exciting as that was ... we still don't know what will happen in the sentencing," Paredes said after the hearing. Outside the San Diego Naval Base, a handful of demonstrators rallied in support of Paredes and in support of his prosecution. Paredes reported to the Navy pier the morning of Dec. 6, but refused to board and was told to go away. After 45 minutes on the pier, he did. "He was left with absolutely no idea what to do next," said defense attorney Jeremy Williams. "He expected to go into custody at that time but they didn't do that. They gave him back his ID and told him to leave." Paredes, a New York native who has been in the Navy for nearly five years, surrendered to military authorities on Dec. 18 after applying for conscientious objector status. The Navy denied his request. That ruling is being appealed. Fellow crewmembers testified that seeing Paredes stay behind was embarrassing and difficult for their families, who had to watch them leave. But Thomas Jefferson School of Law Professor Marjorie Cohn, an international law specialist, said Paredes had acted from principle. "He said, 'I don't want to be a war criminal,"' she recalled. "He was very concerned about the deaths of more than a thousand American servicemen and women, and of thousands of Iraqis." The USS Bonhomme Richard stopped in Guam and was diverted to help victims of the Asian tsunami before continuing to Iraq, according to testimony at the court martial. |
| Posted by:Unavigum Ebbimp2047 |
| #10 A federal felony conviction will now follow the lad for the rest of his life. Guess he'll get work in Hollywood as a minor celeb. However when one raise his right hand and swears an oath "I Pablo Paredes, do solemnly swear to support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic. That I take this obligation freely without any mental reservations or purpose of evasion..." and then breaks said oath, the man's word is now worthless before all witnesses. Anyone who extends a contract of any form to this individual, does it with forknowledge that such contract is not honored by Mr. Paredes. |
| Posted by: Spoluper Hupenter1939 2005-05-12 16:54 |
| #9 He did this during war time. He should get the yard arm. Screw thei TRANZI "international law" bull shit. |
| Posted by: Sock Puppet 0’ Doom 2005-05-12 16:00 |
| #8 the second charge was dismissed because it was lesser to what he was actually convicted of. No great moral victory, there, asshole. I hope this puke spends every day wishing he was dead |
| Posted by: Frank G 2005-05-12 15:55 |
| #7 The great thing is his ship actually spent time helping typhoon victims, something I assume his tranzi 'tard friends think should be the Navy's main goal. Certainly makes arguing against him easier. |
| Posted by: RJ Schwarz 2005-05-12 15:42 |
| #6 You know I might excuse a Seaman 1, 2, or 3 but when you are an NCO I expect a little better loyalty. I never was in the Navy, but I can't imagine someone standing on shore while their shipmates sail off to war without you. Since they were able to leave port and navigate all the way to Iraq (with a stop in Indonesia) without PO Paresdes I am guessing he wasn't missed too much. I wonder how his shipmates feel about him and if they want him back? No mention about anybody testifying FOR him, that says a lot about him. What a putz! |
| Posted by: Cyber Sarge 2005-05-12 13:14 |
| #5 Towing an M-88 is not very easy - I'm surprised that anything except another M-88 would be used. It would be like towing a cadillac with a volkswagen beetle. |
| Posted by: Lone Ranger 2005-05-12 12:59 |
| #4 "He was very concerned about the deaths of more than a thousand American servicemen and women, and of thousands of Iraqis." No, he was concerned about himself. Please peddle your bullshit elsewhere, Tranzi wankjob. |
| Posted by: Raj 2005-05-12 12:36 |
| #3 Viya con dios, Pablo. We'll make a Big Giant Puppet in your image for our next parade... |
| Posted by: Marjorie Cohn 2005-05-12 12:35 |
| #2 Heh--LTC Smash, conveniently located in San Diego, has been following Pablo for some time now. He's impressed by the brief, 40-minute deliberation for the guilty verdict. |
| Posted by: Dar 2005-05-12 12:30 |
| #1 When you sign the contract, you go where they tell you. You don't get to pick and choose. And here it is again "International law". What the heck does "international law" have to do with a soldier deserting? Keel haul him. |
| Posted by: Deacon Blues 2005-05-12 12:25 |