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Army rape/murder suspect: mental?

posted at 11:47 am on July 6, 2006 by Allahpundit
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The Times says he wasn’t discharged for having a personality disorder, he was discharged for having a “severe” personality disorder. And not just any ol’ disorder, either. According to the AP, it was this one.

The trial will probably focus on two questions. First, did the Army know about the rape/murder when it discharged him? According to the Times,

Army regulations prohibit commanders from discharging soldiers found to have personality disorders if the action is intended “to spare a soldier who may have committed serious acts of misconduct” from prosecution by military authorities.

Not that that would matter to Green’s culpability or sentence, but the media will be looking for a cover up and that’s their best bet.

Second, is he insane? 18 U.S.C. 17 makes insanity an affirmative defense to all federal criminal statutes if “at the time of the commission of the acts constituting the offense, the defendant, as a result of a severe mental disease or defect, was unable to appreciate the nature and quality or the wrongfulness of his acts.” Judging from the description of APD at Wikipedia, he might have been unable to feel the wrongfulness of his acts. But did he appreciate that they were wrong?

Would he have asked someone to monitor the radio during the incident and then burned his blood-stained clothes afterwards if he didn’t?

Anyway. What’s the other four guys’ excuse?

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Glad to see the selection process for inductees is so careful–a severe personality disorder isn’t picked up by the personality screen? Great.

honora on July 6, 2006 at 1:38 PM

From the AP article:

“Despite all the stories about the military having trouble recruiting, it is considered anathema to retain somebody like that,” said Thompson. “It isn’t Army policy to retain somebody who isn’t dependable. I’m certain this person slipped through the cracks. … The whole point of boot camp is to find people who can’t hold up under stress and get them out before they get in the field.”

Allahpundit on July 6, 2006 at 1:40 PM

I have seen pictures of American gang signs, etc. showing up in Iraq. The site I saw it on credited American gang bangers who are in the armed forces as being responsible. I’m sure there are some gang members in our military, but unless they set their gang crap aside while they are engaged in military duties I expect they would be gotten rid of.

Of course, Green might not be a gang member. He might just be a jerk.

Bellicose Muse on July 6, 2006 at 5:44 PM

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