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U.S. NEWSSaturday 19 September
Investigator: Bergdahl left post to expose problems in unit
JUAN A. LOZANO other soldiers in danger. dahl was kept in a cage
Associated Press for three years and had
SAN ANTONIO (AP) — The Military prosecutors uncontrollable diarrhea for
officer who led the investi- years.
gation of Bowe Bergdahl’s charged Bergdahl in March Bergdahl tried to resist and
disappearance and cap- attempted to escape on
ture in Afghanistan six years with desertion and misbe- multiple occasions, includ-
ago testified Friday that ing one attempt in which
the Army sergeant said he havior before the enemy. he managed to elude re-
walked away from his post capture for 8½ days, Russell
as part of a plan to spark His Article 32 hearing, which said. He acknowledged
a search and get the at- the public criticism leveled
tention of a general so he was concluded Friday, will at Bergdahl,
could express his concerns but said Bergdahl did the
about his unit’s leadership. help determine if he should best he could under the
Maj. Gen. Kenneth Dahl circumstances.
told a packed courtroom face a court-martial. The “They don’t know what the
at Fort Sam Houston in San facts are. Nobody knows
Antonio that Bergdahl felt prisoner exchange drew a Sgt. Bergdahl’s story. I hope
the problems were so se- someday the world gets to
vere that they put his pla- lot of public criticism, with understand how difficult
toon in danger, but that Sgt. Bergdahl had it,” he
Bergdahl’s perceptions many Republicans and said.
were “completely off the Earlier Friday, Bergdahl’s
mark.” some Democrats saying former squad leader, for-
Dahl said Bergdahl had an mer Sgt. Greg Leather-
elaborate plan to head they felt it was politically man, testified that before
from his post to the forward Bergdahl disappeared, he
operating base roughly 19 motivated and contrary to expressed concern to his
miles away, expecting to first sergeant that Bergdahl
arrive while a search was From left, defense lead counsel Eugene Fidell, defense counsel the U.S. policy of not nego- didn’t seem to be adjusting
underway and to create a Lt. Col. Franklin D. Rosenblatt, and Dr. Mary Connell, consultant well to their deployment
“PR event” that might get for the defense, arrive for day two of a preliminary hearing to tiating with terrorists. and that he thought Berg-
a general to listen to him. determine if Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl will be court-martialed, dahl should speak to some-
“He felt it was his duty to Friday, Sept. 18, 2015, at Fort Sam Houston, Texas. Bergdahl, Terrence Russell, with a one such as a chaplain. q
who left his post in Afghanistan and was held by the Taliban for
five years, is charged with desertion and misbehavior before military agency that works
the enemy.
with soldiers and others
(AP Photo/Darren Abate)
who have been held cap-
tive and who debriefed
Bergdahl, testified that
Bergdahl was subjected to
intervene,” said Dahl, who held until last year, when he worse conditions than any
described Bergdahl as was exchanged for five Tal-
having few friends but who iban commanders being American prisoner of war
seemed motivated to help held at the U.S. detention
others. He said he doesn’t center at Guantanamo since the Vietnam War and
think Bergdahl should go to Bay, Cuba. His command-
prison. ing officers in Afghanistan was “skin over bones” near
Bergdahl was captured by testified Thursday about
the Taliban after leaving his the grueling 45-day search the end of his captivity.
post on June 30, 2009, and for Bergdahl, saying it put
Russell said Bergdahl’s cap-
tors treated him like a “dirty
animal,” beating him with
rubber and copper hoses
and giving him little food
and water. He said Berg-
APNewsBreak: Waco police bullets hit bikers in May melee
EMILY SCHMALL a vague initial description to audio interviews. Togeth- ground and photos of bod- began after a Bandido rid-
Associated Press of a brawl that spiraled out er, the evidence offers the ies lying in pools of blood in er hit a prospective mem-
FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) — of control. best insight yet into how the the restaurant parking lot. ber of the Cossacks with his
When two rival motorcycle But evidence reviewed by shootout unfolded. The gunfire erupted shortly motorcycle.
gangs clashed outside a The Associated Press now Investigators have offered before a meeting of a co- A fistfight ensued, followed
Texas restaurant, the vio- confirms that the gunfire in- scant details about what alition of motorcycle clubs by several minutes of shoot-
lence took many forms — cluded rounds fired by po- sparked the fight or how that advocates for rider ing, according to the evi-
handguns, knives, clubs, lice that hit bikers, though the gunfire played out, and safety. dence reviewed by the AP.
brass knuckles. After the it isn’t clear whether those no one has been charged Waco police were aware Bikers and drivers can be
melee was over, nine bik- rifle shots caused any of the with any of the deaths. of the potential for violence seen on video fleeing the
ers were dead, their bod- fatalities. The trove of evidence — and assigned 16 officers to restaurant parking lot on
ies sprawled on the pave- The AP reviewed more than expected to be presented watch over the gathering. foot and in vehicles while
ment, surrounded by blood 8,800 pages of evidence to a grand jury — includes State police were also pres- officers carrying rifles run to
and shell casings. related to the May 11 con- dashboard video of peo- ent. the scene. As shots pop off
Four months after the frontation, including many ple fleeing the scene while Many witnesses, including in the background, an offi-
shootout, authorities have police reports. Reporters shots ring out, audio of po- bikers and waitresses at the cer swears repeatedly.
released almost nothing also viewed dash-cam vid- lice threatening to shoot Twin Peaks restaurant, told The aftermath looked like a
about the gunfight beyond eo and photos and listened people if they rise from the police that the shooting combat scene.q
