Protesting Soldier's Pretrial Hearing

1st Lt. Ehren Watada refused to deploy to Iraq with his Stryker brigade from Fort Lewis. Now he faces a court-martial. Today his lawyer argued in a pretrial hearing that the Army should not be allowed to prosecute him for conduct unbecoming an officer because of remarks he made explaining his decision to journalists and a group at a veterans convention; the prosecution for "missing movement" should be enough. Even though he's in the Army, the lawyer argued, he still has a constitutional right to speak out. Lt. Watada is also requesting an evidentiary hearing on the legality of the war itself. Judge hears motions during officer's pretrial hearing, Seattle P-I, Jan. 4, 2007.

See also Anti-war camp gears up for Watada's trial, Seattle P-I, Jan. 4, 2007.