musher
Member
Interestingly, one of the situations that led to the US Army General's banning of CCW for soldiers in Alaska off base (see thread) has ended with an aquittal and a finding that the soldiers acted in self defense.
I'm guessing the policy won't change.
http://www.news-miner.com/Stories/0,1413,113~7244~3272744,00.html
A jury acquitted three Fort Wainwright soldiers Monday, ruling they acted in self-defense in the shooting death of a rival rapper last August.
The jury found Lionel Wright, Freddy Walker and Christopher Cox not guilty of second-degree murder and first-degree weapons misconduct charges in the death of Alvin Wilkins Jr. after 14 hours of deliberations.
The jury could have convicted the soldiers on the lesser included offenses of manslaughter, criminally negligent homicide and second- and third-degree weapons misconduct, but chose not to.
The soldiers were embraced by their attorneys following the reading of the verdict. Wright and Walker locked in a bear hug, joined by Cox.
Wilkins' sister, Shaleika Wilkins, left shortly after the verdict was read. Prosecutor Elizabeth Crail said a paralegal had spoken with Wilkins and she was taking the verdict well, having prepared for the possibility of an acquittal.
"She can feel for the shooters as well as for her brother," Crail said.
Special Swanson, Wright's mother, who has been present in the courtroom throughout the trial, seemed to be in tears. She directed comments to Wilkins' family when speaking to media after the verdict.
"Each and every time we will pray for you," she said.
The three soldiers, in custody since the Aug. 14, 2005, killing of Wilkins, were to be released from Fairbanks Correctional Center by Monday afternoon.
Lori Bodwell, attorney for Walker, said her client is looking forward to reuniting with his wife and family in Texas. He was married in July, just a month before the incident, and the soldiers were to be deployed to Iraq with the 172nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team.
Susan Carney, attorney for Cox, said her client is leaving Fairbanks to return home in the Lower 48. She would not say where Cox is from, but said he is "extremely relieved" at the verdict.
"I don't think they ever should have been charged," Carney said Monday afternoon. "I think they had to defend themselves and they did."
Geoffry Wildridge, attorney for Wright, declined comment.
The jury acquitted the trio after learning during the three-week trial that the three defendants and Wilkins and a friend were all armed before the confrontation. Wilkins was killed by buckshot from a gun belonging to Wright.
Crail took more than a week to present the state's case, focusing on the perceived threat from Wilkins, a rival rapper with the nickname "Snoop." Joel Bruney, who drove as Wilkins confronted the soldiers, was supposed to be a key witness. Defense attorneys attempted to discredit his testimony and during deliberations the jury listened to the recording of Bruney's 5 1/2 hours of testimony.
Defense attorneys spent about two days on their case, playing up the strife between Wright and Wilkins. They played excerpts of Wilkins' explicit lyrics they said were aimed at Wright. None of the three men took the stand in their own defense.
Crail said she was prepared for either verdict in the case.
"We're always aware the jury can come up with any possible combination," she said. "I go into this to present the best case I can and hope that justice prevails."
Crail said it's difficult to appeal a case when there has been an acquittal, but said District Attorney Jeff O'Bryant will make that decision. She said she thinks all the relevant evidence was presented and the jury worked diligently to decipher it.
"I really don't think there was smoking gun out there in this case," she said. "I really think the jury did hear all the evidence. They worked really hard and I appreciated every bit of it. I'm confident they gave it their all."
I'm guessing the policy won't change.
http://www.news-miner.com/Stories/0,1413,113~7244~3272744,00.html
A jury acquitted three Fort Wainwright soldiers Monday, ruling they acted in self-defense in the shooting death of a rival rapper last August.
The jury found Lionel Wright, Freddy Walker and Christopher Cox not guilty of second-degree murder and first-degree weapons misconduct charges in the death of Alvin Wilkins Jr. after 14 hours of deliberations.
The jury could have convicted the soldiers on the lesser included offenses of manslaughter, criminally negligent homicide and second- and third-degree weapons misconduct, but chose not to.
The soldiers were embraced by their attorneys following the reading of the verdict. Wright and Walker locked in a bear hug, joined by Cox.
Wilkins' sister, Shaleika Wilkins, left shortly after the verdict was read. Prosecutor Elizabeth Crail said a paralegal had spoken with Wilkins and she was taking the verdict well, having prepared for the possibility of an acquittal.
"She can feel for the shooters as well as for her brother," Crail said.
Special Swanson, Wright's mother, who has been present in the courtroom throughout the trial, seemed to be in tears. She directed comments to Wilkins' family when speaking to media after the verdict.
"Each and every time we will pray for you," she said.
The three soldiers, in custody since the Aug. 14, 2005, killing of Wilkins, were to be released from Fairbanks Correctional Center by Monday afternoon.
Lori Bodwell, attorney for Walker, said her client is looking forward to reuniting with his wife and family in Texas. He was married in July, just a month before the incident, and the soldiers were to be deployed to Iraq with the 172nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team.
Susan Carney, attorney for Cox, said her client is leaving Fairbanks to return home in the Lower 48. She would not say where Cox is from, but said he is "extremely relieved" at the verdict.
"I don't think they ever should have been charged," Carney said Monday afternoon. "I think they had to defend themselves and they did."
Geoffry Wildridge, attorney for Wright, declined comment.
The jury acquitted the trio after learning during the three-week trial that the three defendants and Wilkins and a friend were all armed before the confrontation. Wilkins was killed by buckshot from a gun belonging to Wright.
Crail took more than a week to present the state's case, focusing on the perceived threat from Wilkins, a rival rapper with the nickname "Snoop." Joel Bruney, who drove as Wilkins confronted the soldiers, was supposed to be a key witness. Defense attorneys attempted to discredit his testimony and during deliberations the jury listened to the recording of Bruney's 5 1/2 hours of testimony.
Defense attorneys spent about two days on their case, playing up the strife between Wright and Wilkins. They played excerpts of Wilkins' explicit lyrics they said were aimed at Wright. None of the three men took the stand in their own defense.
Crail said she was prepared for either verdict in the case.
"We're always aware the jury can come up with any possible combination," she said. "I go into this to present the best case I can and hope that justice prevails."
Crail said it's difficult to appeal a case when there has been an acquittal, but said District Attorney Jeff O'Bryant will make that decision. She said she thinks all the relevant evidence was presented and the jury worked diligently to decipher it.
"I really don't think there was smoking gun out there in this case," she said. "I really think the jury did hear all the evidence. They worked really hard and I appreciated every bit of it. I'm confident they gave it their all."
