Soldier gets 179-day sentence, reduction in rank for beating

[unhappycamper]

Soldier gets 179-day sentence, reduction in rank for beating
By Seth Robson, Stars and Stripes
European edition, Thursday, February 14, 2008

VILSECK, Germany — Three 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment soldiers went up a hill at Vilseck on July 13, but only two walked down.

Seven months later, at Pfc. Kyle Westropp’s court-martial at Vilseck this week, two of the soldiers — Westropp and Spc. David Mothorn — said they had no memory of what happened on the hill.

Westropp, accused of teaming up with Pvt. (then Staff Sgt.) Ishmael Puente, to commit aggravated assault on Mothorn, had a blackout after drinking heavily that morning, according to his lawyer, Capt. James Hill.

Mothorn, a two-time Iraq veteran, has no memory of the attack, which left him with a severe brain injury, according to the prosecutor, Capt. Derrick Grace.

On Tuesday, the panel returned a verdict of guilty for Westropp. He was sentenced to a reprimand, 179 days of confinement and reduction in rank to private.



Rest of article at: http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=52479

[DrDan]

1. this verdict sure does not seem fair . . . 179 days and a reduction

in rank - in exchange for a severe brain injury . . .