Lancaster County-Wide Communications reports that when fire crews arrived at 6231 Main Street, Salisbury Township, Lancaster County they observed smoke showing. One person was injured in the 4:45 PM fire call. That person was taken to Chester County Hospital. We’ll keep you posted on their condition. Assisting with this fire call were: Sadsbury FD, Westwood FD, White Horse FD, Twin Valley FD, Blue Ball FD, East Brandywine FD, Goodville FD and Honey Brook EMS.
A Marine Sergeant has been acquitted of charges related to the hazing of a
Chinese-American soldier in Afghanistan who later committed suicide. The brief military trial wrapped up yesterday in Hawaii. FSRN’s Larry Geller reports from Honolulu.
Kaneohe Bay Marine Sergeant Benjamin Johns is the second of three Marines to face court martial in connection with the suicide of Lance Corporal Harry Lew. A military jury deliberated less than an hour before returning a “not guilty” verdict.
Johns was charged with hazing and with dereliction of duty, not with Lew’s death. He was accused of ordering Lew, who had fallen asleep on sentry duty for the fourth time, to dig a foxhole as punishment. But commanders testified they had previously ordered that additional foxholes be dug. As to the hazing, the defense was able to show that upon hearing what was happening, Sgt. Johns immediately had it stopped.
The trial probably would not have taken place were it not for intense
political pressure from Lew’s aunt, US Representative Judy Chu of California.
Defense attorney Timothy Bilecki: “Once we were inside the courtroom, we have an unbiased military judge, we have educated panel members, both officer and enlisted, and we were able to push out all the extraneous pressure from the politicians, and simply try the case.”
The first Marine tried in connection with Lew’s death has already been demoted and sentenced to 30 days in jail The final
accused Marine still awaits trial. Larry Geller, FSRN, Honolulu.