WHEELER ARMY AIRFIELD, Hawaii – A military judge sentenced Sgt. Bernard Bright, 31, to three months confinement, reduction in rank to private E-1 and a bad conduct discharge for domestic violence and obstruction of justice.
The sentence comes immediately following his conviction Dec. 5 during his court-martial at the Wheeler Army Airfield Courtroom.
Bright, a unit supply specialist assigned to C Company, 209th Aviation Support Battalion, 25th Combat Aviation Brigade, 25th Infantry Division, resided with his family in housing at Schofield Barracks since April of 2021.
On April 14, 2023, he became enraged while waiting for his wife and neighbor to return home from running an errand and purchasing pizza for dinner that evening.
When they returned home and pulled into the driveway, Bright furiously tried to enter the locked vehicle to attack the neighbor. His wife exited the vehicle and attempted to subdue Bright, who turned and punched her in the head, knocking her out in the front yard.
Neighbors immediately called the Military Police who detained Bright and took statements from the witnesses who observed the incident.
While Bright’s wife chose not to participate in the investigation or with prosecutors, the eyewitness accounts presented overwhelming evidence of his guilt in this case.
“April 14, 2023, was a dark day for the Bright family, but the outcome of the trial should shed some light on domestic violence crimes,” said Special Trial Counsel Lt. Col. Nick Hurd, Hawaii Field Office, Army Office of Special Trial Counsel.
“All reports of domestic violence will be evaluated effectively, efficiently, and fairly,” he added. “After evaluation, criminal cases involving domestic violence can and will be prosecuted even without a participating victim.”
The investigation was conducted by the Schofield Barracks Military Police and prosecuted by Hurd and Capt. Rachel Bultman, 25th Infantry Division Combat Aviation Brigade.
The Army Office of Special Trial Counsel is comprised of specially trained military lawyers, legal professionals and support staff responsible for the expert and independent prosecution of murder, sexual assault, domestic violence, child abuse, kidnapping and other serious criminal offenses. Headquartered at Fort Belvoir, Va., OSTC has eight regional headquarters which oversee 28 field offices located across the country to include Europe and Korea.
| Date Taken: | 12.10.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 12.10.2024 14:13 |
| Story ID: | 487103 |
| Location: | WHEELER ARMY AIRFIELD, HAWAII, US |
| Web Views: | 20 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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