European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - June 2, 2007, Darmstadt, Hesse Page 4 stars and stripes june 2007 jail on lesser charge in Germany by Scott Schonauer stars and stripes Span Dahlem air Germany a Span Dahlem airman was found not guilty Friday of a charge that he raped a Drunken staff who claimed to be unwillingly involved in a on the third Day of a a Mil itary jury convicted airman Christopher Hicks of a lesser charge of committing an indecent act a criminal offence unique to the if they did not believe a rape jury members had the option of finding him guilty of the alternative an equipment operator with the 52nd civil engineering admitted to having sex with the noncommissioned officer while another female airman watched on 24 at his apartment in engaging in such a sexual even be tween consenting is considered an indecent act in the after deliberating for 45 minutes on Fri the jury sentenced Hicks to six months in reduction to the lowest pay forfeiture of per month for six and a bad conduct that decision could come under scrutiny the sentencing phase took an unexpected turn when Hicks defense lawyer took the unusual step of requesting a Michael Carson issued the motion during the trial when the staff sergeant took the stand and accused Hicks of Post ing a message on an internet blog that criticized the trial has attracted considerable at Tention on various internet forums since airman 1st class Ashley Rains pleaded guilty at a separate court martial to two charges of indecent acts for her role in the a life support specialist with the 22nd fighter was sentenced to four months in prison and reduced to the lowest pay Grade after admitting to per forming a sex act on the staff sergeant and watching while the staff sergeant and Hicks had sex moments a military forum on has attracted tens of thousands of according to statistics on the web most of the posts Are sent but one Post author claims to be defense lawyers argued there is no proof Hicks made such a Post and that the staff sergeants accusation could unfairly influence judge Gordon an air Force called the comments made by the staff sergeant inflammatory and i prop but denied the mistrial request and instructed the jury members to disregard that part of the Hicks could Appeal the judges denial of the much of the debate about the trial on the internet has focused on whether the staff sergeant that was also the focus of the closing air Force prosecutor Michael Felsen told the court that the staff sergeant was awake during the sex but feigned sleep be cause she was too drunk to fight she testified that she was afraid of what they might do to her if she tried to Stop the defense argued the staff sergeant had no reason to be afraid and could have simply the staff sergeant testified on thursday that she had 10 to 20 drinks that night and met up with Rains and Hicks at a pair of pubs in she had met Rains be fore but did not know later in the they went to the soon after they the staff sergeant took off her vomited and went to the master bedroom to lie she later awoke to Rains and Hicks having sex with she air Force special agents who investigated the Case said Hicks gave conflicting accounts on what he told investigators at one Point that he thought the staff sergeant was unconscious when he started and figured she would Wake one agent testified during the trial that Hicks told him he Felt email Scott Schonauer at fallen Blue Spader remembered As a Good Soldier by Mark stars and stripes Germany he was the kind of Man who Al ways wore his dog tags outside his shirt so everyone would see he was a on members of the sch Weinfurt military Community gathered at the Ledward bar Racks Chapel to pay tribute to just weeks after his 20th birth Nicholas of Rome died May 14 in the Adham Yah neighbourhood of of wounds resulting from a grenade and Roadside bomb attack that also wounded four other soldiers in his speaking at the ceremony was Hartges Friend and com sgt Shawn who was Back in Germany after being wounded it took him no time to distinguish himself As a hard worker and a Good Ladue when Hartge was first As signed to the 1st 26th infantry regiment Blue Spad he was tasked to be a he didst like not working with us he would say he came Hartge Mark and stripes after firing a 21gun Salute in Honor of Nicholas Scott 1st 26th infantry who was killed in Baghdad on May a 1st infantry division Honor guard stands at present arms while a bugler plays taps Friday at the Ledward Barracks Chapel in Schwein Here to be an Ladue said of his it didst take Long for Ladue to figure out that Hartge was some one whom he could Trust to watch his saying he did his Best to return the in sorry i want there for a choked up Ladue i feel better knowing you spent your last moments on Earth with the Brothers in our Hartge had a fondness for Rac ing and was nicknamed hit Man in Iraq because he always seemed to be running into Walls or vehicles whenever he Hartge was remembered As a hardcore Ladue another German based infantryman killed in Iraq by Mark stars and stripes fighting in Baghdad has claimed the life of a sch Weinfurt based Clinton Coy of died May 26 when the vehicle in which he was Riding was struck by a Roadside the Pentagon announced this Blodgett was assigned to 1st 18th infantry although Blodgett Hometown was listed As 25 Miles North of he will be buried in where his Don according to the associated the elder Blodgett told the a that his who had been Home to visit in joined the army to be like his who had served in the first Gulf War with the Oklahoma National he was just he always liked driving Over he was shooting guns and driving Don Blodgett at the end of his army the son wanted to stay in Iraq As a civilian Security his father theres a lot of kids getting killed Over Don Blodgett i was hoping it be one of but everybody got to pay the other Wise be killing us in our living a memorial service for Blodgett has not yet been said a Public affairs official in Schwein also on the official said that a memorial for another Dagger brigade staff Virgil Chance of 1st 7th Field Artil Lery regiment who died May 6 in Baghdad a Dhir Niyah District has been postponed until Mem Bers of his family can Emall Mark at when Mem Bers of his unit would tease say ing that re publicans were Why they were in Hartge would get All political on us but he knew we were busting his chops most of us could care less about Ladue born in and raised in Rome Hartge enlisted in the army immediately following graduation from East Noble High where he wrestled and played while still in Hartge applied for acceptance at the military but didst get his 1st Ryan graduated West Point and is currently flying army helicopters in South although he was in Hart be had not Given up his dream of attending West when he took leave in he took the sat so he could add his scores to his application packet for an acad Emy preparatory having already received let ters of recommendation from his unit when Hartge found out that if he was hed leave Iraq for school in he stopped his he passed up the Chance to leave Iraq and go to school be cause he didst want to leave his Brothers Ladue in addition to his Hart be is survived by his Mother and Lisa and Dave Abbott Scott and Lisa Abbot told battalion com Mander Eric Schacht that any Money her sons memorial received would go to the Blue Spad email Mark at injured civilian workers including nonus citizens know and protect your Legal rights attorneys toll free 8887327425 Law offices of bar inf i i free consultation phone 1800 2389481 Oil graduation Teddy bears tall fast world wide shipping y love you in a big Way
