SOON TO BE EX-PFC LYNNDIE ENGLAND

A court martial convicted PFC Lynndie England, USAR, of all but one of the charges against her for her role in Abu Graib. Her attempt to plead to a single count fell apart last spring when the judge found that she believed she was not guilty of the crime to which was to have pleaded guilty. At that point, it became clear to me that she was going to get every one of her rights under the Uniform Code of Military Justice. Sentencing will be later this week, followed by a review by the convening authority (the general who convened the court martial) who will not likely alter the punishment imposed. After that, she will be off to the big house, one of the poorest excuses for a soldier ever to wear a uniform. Her military lawyers will probably file an appeal, because it is their duty and the client will want it. An Army appeals court will give it due consideration, and, barring some procedural error, likely vote to affirm. Another level of appellate review will occur at the United States Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces and then all of England's rights will have been observed. By that point, no one will care, but justice will have been done and observed, even for a wretch like her.