Photo By Sgt. 1st Class Adrian Borunda | Jesse Nieto, who lost his son, Engineman 2nd Class Marc Ian Nieto, aboard the USS...... read more read more
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GUANTANAMO BAY, Cuba - Defense counsel for the alleged mastermind behind the suicide bombing of the USS Cole asked a military judge here Thursday to not allow the death penalty as a sentence for his client’s trial.
Army Maj. Allison Danels, a member of the defense team, argued the use of the death penalty in this case wouldn’t serve to fulfill any military necessity.
“There is no public safety interest served by killing someone who is authorized to be detained indefinitely by the United States government,” Danels said.
Another issue brought up by the defense was the lack of adequate medical care provided to the accused, Al-Nashiri, who the defense counsel said suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder.
“It's unquestioned by any reasonable person, that Mr. Nashiri does suffer from PTSD as a result of his treatment by the hands of the CIA,” said Richard Kammen, lead counsel for the defense.
Kammen said it is an allegation backed up by military doctors who have testified to the same, and by Dr. Sandra Crosby, who related his PTSD to “physical, psychological and sexual torture.”
Brig. Gen. Mark S. Martins, lead prosecutor for the government, said the government is handling only the case before them, not the public perception of the ongoing commissions.
“We are trying to do this with rectitude, according to law, that’s what I can control, and I’m confident that we are doing that,” Martins said.
He was appreciative of the fact that the defense was quoting military doctors who examined Nashiri and applauded the efforts of those involved in the hearing for doing what they could to make the proceedings fair.
“That shows a level of willingness to acknowledge that people in the system are trying to do their jobs,” Martins said.
When pre-trail deliberations will end and Nashiri’s hearing will begin is still yet to be decided as both sides have differing opinions on the subject. Martins is optimistic the trail will begin by 2015, but Kammen said he thinks that’s a bit too optimistic and a trial by late 2015 would be the earliest start.
| Date Taken: | 11.07.2014 |
| Date Posted: | 11.13.2014 14:00 |
| Story ID: | 147745 |
| Location: | GUANTANAMO BAY, CU |
| Web Views: | 106 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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