Court-martial under way in Arkansas for former Ramstein airman

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Court-martial under way in Arkansas for former Ramstein airman
By Steve Mraz, Stars and Stripes
European edition, Thursday, January 22, 2009

The court-martial of a former Ramstein Air Base airman accused of playing a role in the 2005 beating death of a Kaiserslautern, Germany-based soldier is under way in Arkansas.

Air Force Staff Sgt. Jerome Jones faces six charges, including involuntary manslaughter, for allegedly beating Army Sgt. Juwan Johnson during an initiation into the Gangster Disciples on July 3, 2005. Johnson was found dead in his Kaiserslautern barracks room the next day, and his cause of death was ruled as multiple blunt-force trauma. If convicted on all charges, Jones faces a maximum sentence of 59 years in confinement.

Jones’ court-martial began last week at Little Rock Air Force Base, where he currently serves as an aircraft maintainer assigned to the 314th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron. Previously, Jones was assigned to Ramstein.

Jones is one of 11 former or current U.S. servicemembers who were either present for or participated in a six-minute beating-in initiation ceremony for Johnson. To date, two soldiers and one airman have been convicted and sentenced to confinement in the case, and another soldier was acquitted.

Jones has pleaded not guilty to all charges, and his jury is composed of three enlisted airmen and two officers, said Air Force Tech. Sgt. Katherine Garcia, 19th Airlift Wing spokeswoman.


Rest of article at: http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=60167