JAG CENTRAL

From the NY Times, Columbia Yields 2 Accused Soldiers to U.S. ("Two American soldiers arrested by the Colombian police for arms smuggling were handed over to the United States Embassy on Thursday, angering Colombian authorities and ordinary Colombians who believe that the two should face charges here. Under treaty obligations, Allan Tanquary and Jesus Hernandez, Army Special Forces marksmen who had been stationed in Colombia as part of the American effort to fight drugs and Marxist rebels, will be investigated by American officials and, if charged, face trial in the United States. The two men, along with four Colombians, were arrested Tuesday in a luxury gated community in Melgar, where the police found 32,000 rounds of ammunition that they contend was bound for right-wing paramilitary groups."). Like I predicted here, Columbia was bound by treaty to hand the soldiers over. In other news, No Finger-Pointing in [Canadian] Sub Inquiry; and Private Will Face New Charges Over Abuse Of Prisoners in Iraq ("The government will file new charges soon against Pfc. Lynndie R. England, whose guilty plea was thrown out and her court-martial canceled Wednesday over testimony by the convicted ringleader in the Abu Ghraib prison scandal, an Army defense lawyer said Thursday after meeting with military prosecutors. But the charges will have to be investigated anew in what the military calls an Article 32 hearing - similar to a civilian grand jury but open to the defense and the public - before Private England, 22, can be faced with a new trial, perhaps sometime this summer here at Fort Hood, said the lawyer, Capt. Jonathan Crisp. He said it was premature to speculate about another guilty plea.").

From the Washington Post, General Demoted, But Cleared in Abuse Probe ("President Bush approved yesterday an order demoting Army Reserve Brig. Gen. Janis L. Karpinski, the only general to be punished in connection with investigations into detainee abuse at U.S. military prisons. Karpinski's rank was reduced to colonel, and she was issued a reprimand and relieved of her command. But the Army's inspector general recommended the sanctions based on a broad charge of dereliction of duty, as well as on a charge of shoplifting, essentially clearing her of responsibility for the abuse at Abu Ghraib prison. As commander of the 800th Military Police Brigade, Karpinski oversaw more than a dozen prison facilities in Iraq in 2003."); Lawyer Withdraws from England's Defense Team ("Pfc. Lynndie R. England's civilian lawyer has stepped down from her defense team after representing her against prison abuse charges for a year, citing the financial burden of working on the high-profile case for free. Rick Hernandez, of Denver, said yesterday that England will continue to be represented by her Fort Jackson, S.C.-based military lawyer, Capt. Jonathan Crisp. Hernandez said the defense team is continuing discussions about a plea agreement with military prosecutors that would spare England significant jail time for offenses alleged to have occurred at Iraq's Abu Ghraib prison in late 2003.").

From USA Today (Plagiarism Central), Bush Approves Demotion of Gen. Karpinski in Prison Scandal.