A Royal Marine jailed for life for murdering an injured Taliban insurgent in Helmand in 2011 is appealing against his conviction and sentence.
Former Colour Sgt Al Blackman was found guilty at a court martial in December and sentenced to a minimum of 10 years.
Blackman, 39, of Taunton, Somerset, will have his appeal heard in the Court Martial Appeal Court at the High Court in London on Thursday.
The result of the appeal is likely to be announced at a later date.
Divided opinionThe court martial sentenced Blackman to life imprisonment for murder and then had to decide the minimum term he would have to serve before being considered for release on licence.
The judge advocate and seven-man board made up of senior Royal Navy and Royal Marines personnel weighed up aggravating and mitigating factors.
These included the fact that Colour Sgt Blackman - known as Marine A during the case - was of previous good character.
Please turn on JavaScript. Media requires JavaScript to play.
Extract from helmet camera audio recording of incident in Helmand
The military court reduced the minimum term from 15 years to 10 years. Blackman was also dismissed from the Royal Marines.
His lawyer, Issy Hogg of Coomber Rich solicitors, will now appeal against both the conviction and sentence, with three of the most senior judges due to weigh up the legal arguments.
BBC defence correspondent Caroline Wyatt said the court martial itself was controversial.
On social media much of the public supported Blackman, according to our correspondent, saying the case should never have come to court and been dealt with differently. It also divided military opinion.
However, the judges will have to decide the appeal on legal arguments alone.
Video of shootingThe former marine's wife Claire has told the BBC he is "no risk to society" and should be released.
Blackman was five months into a six-month tour of Afghanistan with Plymouth-based 42 Commando when he shot the Afghan - who had been seriously injured in an attack by an Apache helicopter - in the chest at close range with a 9mm pistol.
The court martial heard a recording of Blackman saying after the shooting "there you are. Shuffle off this mortal coil. It's nothing you wouldn't do to us".
He was then heard to say to his comrades: "Obviously this doesn't go anywhere, fellas. I just broke the Geneva Convention."
Sentencing Blackman in December, Judge Advocate General Jeff Blackett told him he had disgraced the name of the British armed services and video of the shooting showed he had not been "under any immediate threat" when he fired.
In fixing the minimum jail term, the judge said the court took into account the effect of the arduous six-month tour upon Blackman but said "thousands of other service personnel have experienced the same or similar stresses" and had not acted in the same way.
Anda sedang membaca artikel tentang
Marine challenges murder conviction
Dengan url
https://sarapanoatmeal.blogspot.com/2014/04/marine-challenges-murder-conviction.html
Anda boleh menyebar luaskannya atau mengcopy paste-nya
Marine challenges murder conviction
namun jangan lupa untuk meletakkan link
Marine challenges murder conviction
sebagai sumbernya
0 komentar:
Posting Komentar