Man charged with beating soldier-wife claims frame-up

Man charged with beating soldier-wife claims frame-up, can't get Army witnesses
By EMILY GURNON
Pioneer Press
St. Paul, Minn.
Published: August 9, 2012

ST. PAUL, Minn. — Days before the scheduled start of his trial, a St. Paul engineer accused of assaulting his wife has alleged that the U.S. Army has not cooperated in getting his wife's supposed lover — an Army sergeant — to testify.

The wife was on leave from a tour in Iraq. Another military member is also on the defense witness list.

The attorney for Charlie Pearman Blackwell, 31, said during a Wednesday, Aug. 8, hearing in Ramsey County District Court that he has been "feverishly trying to find the military witnesses" and that he can't try the case without the sergeant.

"If Sgt. (Luther) Hall is not produced, I will be asking for a continuance," said attorney Ira Whitlock. "Sgt. Hall is absolutely crucial in what we believe is an absolute fabrication by the victim."

Whitlock said the victim and Hall may have cooked up the allegations days before the Jan. 20-21 incidents during a "rendezvous in Florida."
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Silver Star recipient's brother takes gold in decathlon

Silver Star recipient's brother takes gold in decathlon
By JENNIFER HLAD
Stars and Stripes
Published: August 10, 2012

WASHINGTON — Before decathlete Ashton Eaton left for London, Gunnery Sgt. Verice Bennett told him that if he ever got tired, he should picture Bennett running just ahead of him.

“Because you know if I beat you, I’m talking trash ... for the rest of your life,” Bennett said he told his half brother.

Apparently the motivation worked. Eaton earned Olympic gold — and the title of world’s greatest athlete — scoring almost 200 points more than the silver medalist, American teammate Trey Hardee.

Back in Virginia, Bennett was cheering. Loudly.
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Veterans rally, call for more oversight

Veterans rally, call for more oversight
August 09 2012 LITTLE ROCK (AP)

Arkansas veterans rallied at the state Capitol on Thursday and called for more oversight of the agency that assists them after problems that include thousands of dollars of illegally collected fees and a report detailing $10 million in repairs that the Little Rock Veterans Home needs.

The group of veterans called for the improvements to the state Department of Veterans Affairs during an hour-long rally on the Capitol steps. Gov. Mike Beebe in May asked the department's director to retire over the department illegally collecting more than $580,000 in fees and has used money from the state's surplus to repay the veterans who were charged.

The department in June announced that the Little Rock Veterans Home would close as soon as its residents were moved to other approved facilities of their choosing. Veterans at the rally complained that years of neglect led to the facility's deterioration.

The Arkansas Building Authority earlier this week said it would take $10 million to bring the building up to state building and health codes.

"Our troops deserve a better place to fight their final battle," James Scholz, an Army veteran who lives in Little Rock, told the crowd.
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Tampa VA removes hidden camera

Tampa VA removes covert camera
VA says covert camera was only one hidden, no plans to use again
By Matt Grant
CREATED AUG. 9, 2012

FORT MYERS - The James A. Haley Veterans' Hospital has removed a covert camera hidden inside a smoke detector that was used to videotape brain damaged Korean War veteran Joseph Carnegie against his family's wishes.

Congress began investigating the Tampa VA's use of covert cameras last week. The VA tells Fox 4 the type of camera used to monitor Carnegie's condition was the only one they've ever used like that.

"There are currently no cameras of this type installed, in use or in stock for use at Tampa VA," said spokesperson Mary Kay Hollingsworth. "The camera which was removed from Mr. Carnegie's room will not be placed back into stock."
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July 14, 2012
Hidden camera found in patient's room at James A Haley VA hospital

ACLU defense of Westboro hate group is wrong

I was a member of the ACLU because I want the rights of all Americans protected but I discovered the ACLU is not interested in protecting the rights of everyone. If they were then they would see that allowing the Westboro hate group stalk and then harass families trying to bury someone they love, they don't deserve support. These families are forced to look at their signs and hear their hateful words. The rights of the families should be equally important to the ACLU. The ugly truth is, Westboro has a right to say what they want, but no one should be forced to listen to them. It is part of the free speech rights we all have. We can say whatever we want but people have the choice to listen or not, stay or walk away. Families at a funeral should not be forced to listen to the people attacking them. This law protects the families while still allowing Westboro to protest and say what they want but they have no right to make people listen to them. This is all about the media attention they want and nothing more. No where in the Bill of Rights or the Constitution does it provide for media attention. We do still have a free press and they are allowed to cover whatever they want. Or not.

Free speech is not being muffled. They just don't have the right to demand an audience. The ACLU lawyers should have used some common sense on this along with some common decency.

ACLU: New funeral law stifles speech
By Kevin Cirilli
Politico
© August 9, 2012

A law just signed by President Barack Obama that makes it more difficult for protesters to picket military funerals has already drawn fire from the American Civil Liberties Union, which says it muffles free speech.

The legislation, which Obama signed Monday as part of the Honoring America’s Veterans and Caring for Camp Lejeune Families Act, doubles the distance picketers must keep away from funerals, from 150 feet to 300 feet. It also restricts such protests from happening two hours before or after the services. The previous law had a one-hour restriction.

Obama said upon signing the bill that he believed it was a reasonable restriction on the freedoms of speech and assembly.

“The graves of our veterans are hallowed ground,” he said. “We all defend our Constitution and the First Amendment and free speech, but we also believe that when men and women die in the service of their country and are laid to rest, it should be done with the utmost honor and respect.”

ACLU litigation policy adviser Gabriel Rottman says the new measures stifle free speech. And though the protesters’ message may be unpopular, that doesn’t make it unconstitutional, he said.

“This law is about making the message a federal crime, and that’s a violation of the Constitution to which members of the military swear their oath,” Rottman told Politico.
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update
This is what this bill is all about.

Veterans express thanks for funeral legislation
By Holly Ramer
The Associated Press
Posted : Thursday Aug 9, 2012

CONCORD, N.H. — A Henniker woman whose son was killed in Afghanistan in 2006 said Thursday that she is thankful that other families will be spared the the worry she felt along with her grief during his funeral.

While there were no protestors at her son's funeral, Jean Durgin said she feared there would be because members of the Westboro Baptist Church in Kansas had shown up at services for other soldiers killed in Iraq and Afghanistan.

At a news conference marking the signing of a bill to limit such disruptions, Durgin said it is incomprehensible that parents should have to worry about protestors when burying their children.
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