Wed, Jul 02, 2003
It's Not Homicide, Manslaughter, or Assault; But It's
Serious
Maj. Harry Schmidt, 37,
could get six months in prison, if he is convicted of dereliction
of duty, charges that remain after a Monday court martial hearing
by the Air Force.
Schmidt was flying an F-16, and was one of two pilots
who dropped bombs on what the pair thought were hostile troops, in
Afghanistan, on April 17, 2002. The troops were Canadians, engaged
in an exercise. Four died; another dozen were injured.
Maj. William Umbach, the mission commander, asked for early
retirement. He was repremanded and allowed to retire; all charges
against him were dropped.
Schmidt says he doesn't think he is
guilty, and preferred a court martial -- even on
homicide charges, which were a possibility at the time -- to an
administrative punishment, where he maintained he couldn't get fair
treatment. If convicted of dereliction of duty, he could spend half
a year in prison.
Schmidt says he was
given no indication that friendlies were conducting exercises in
the area where he dropped his bomb. His lawyer says that the Air
Force's earlier musings about homicide charges may have been a
bluff. The decision to proceed on only the dereliction charge,
"reinforces the fact that Harry didn't act criminally and shouldn't
have been charged criminally," he said.
The more-serious charges haven't been dropped; if Schmidt wins
the first round, they could be reinstated.
That scenario, though possible, is considered a long
shot.
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