Louis Bressler trail has added twist

Soldiers' Murder Cases May be Joined

Last Edited: Monday, 04 Feb 2008, 10:09 PM MST
Created: Monday, 04 Feb 2008, 10:09 PM MST



By CHARLIE BRENNAN, Reporter


COLORADO SPRINGS -- Prosecutors on Friday will ask a judge to consolidate two 2007 murder cases in which recently returned Iraqi war veterans are charged in the shooting deaths of fellow soldiers.


In the second of the two cases, the Dec. 1 slaying of Spec. Kevin Ryan Shields, the three men accused in his death are members of the Second Infantry Division’s Second Brigade Combat Team, with whom Shields had been deployed in Iraq.

An added twist in the case is that 25-year-old Louis Bressler, the alleged trigger-man in the shootings of both Shields and Pfc. Robert James, which occurred Aug. 3, had been medically discharged from the Army with a diagnosis of post traumatic stress disorder and resulting loss of short-term memory.

Bressler’s lawyer, Colorado Springs attorney Ed Farry, said he does not intend to base his defense on his client’s impaired mental condition. However, said Farry, he is concerned that Bressler’s codefendants may attempt to use it against him.

“I think others are taking advantage of the fact that my client suffers from a post-traumatic stress disorder, including his short-term memory loss,” said Farry. “And I think they are taking advantage of him in that regard, to his detrement.”

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While PTSD veterans do know right from wrong, what happens too often is, they lose control. The do in fact suffer short term memory loss. They do in fact go into flashbacks where they have no clue where they are or who they are with during one.

I am not saying they should get away with murder, but the law must be fair and provide justice taking everything into account. If PTSD veterans do in fact have to go to prison, they must be provided with the help they need to heal so that when they return to the communities, they do not lose time while their condition worsens. PTSD is like an infection. It gets worse untreated.