Gunnar
Sr. Member
- Reaction score
- 358
- Points
- 830
Friendly fire pilot suing U.S. air force
CTV.ca News Staff
The American pilot who dropped a bomb on Canadian soldiers training in Afghanistan two years ago is suing the U.S. air force for releasing documents regarding his case.
Charles Gittins, the lawyer for Maj. Harry Schmidt, called the release an unprecedented move that violated his client's privacy.
Joyce Clooney of Bridgewater, N.S. lost her grandson, Pte Richard Green in the incident. She says she's disappointed by news of the lawsuit.
Clooney says she doesn't believe Schmidt has the right to sue anyone. She says it's time Schmidt was a man and stood up and admitted what he did was wrong.
Clooney says she can't believe Schmidt is ''suing the military for telling the truth.''
This week, Schmidt, 38, was reprimanded by a U.S. air force general, who said the pilot had "acted shamefully" in the April 17, 2002, bombing. He found Schmidt guilty of dereliction of duty and ordered him to forfeit $5,672 US in pay.
Schmidt was also told he'd no longer be allowed to fly air force planes. He can, however, continue to serve in the Illinois Air National Guard.
He is planning on filing an appeal of the ruling by Monday, Gittens said Wednesday.
Canadians Sgt. Marc Leger, Pte. Green, Cpl. Ainsworth Dyer and Pte. Nathan Smith were all killed when Schmidt dropped the bomb. The men were all members of the Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry engaged in a live-fire training exercise on the ground.
Schmidt blames the bombing on the "fog of war," saying he mistook the Canadians' gunfire for an attack by Taliban forces.
==================
Shoulda had the court martial....give him a coke can and a spoon.
CTV.ca News Staff
The American pilot who dropped a bomb on Canadian soldiers training in Afghanistan two years ago is suing the U.S. air force for releasing documents regarding his case.
Charles Gittins, the lawyer for Maj. Harry Schmidt, called the release an unprecedented move that violated his client's privacy.
Joyce Clooney of Bridgewater, N.S. lost her grandson, Pte Richard Green in the incident. She says she's disappointed by news of the lawsuit.
Clooney says she doesn't believe Schmidt has the right to sue anyone. She says it's time Schmidt was a man and stood up and admitted what he did was wrong.
Clooney says she can't believe Schmidt is ''suing the military for telling the truth.''
This week, Schmidt, 38, was reprimanded by a U.S. air force general, who said the pilot had "acted shamefully" in the April 17, 2002, bombing. He found Schmidt guilty of dereliction of duty and ordered him to forfeit $5,672 US in pay.
Schmidt was also told he'd no longer be allowed to fly air force planes. He can, however, continue to serve in the Illinois Air National Guard.
He is planning on filing an appeal of the ruling by Monday, Gittens said Wednesday.
Canadians Sgt. Marc Leger, Pte. Green, Cpl. Ainsworth Dyer and Pte. Nathan Smith were all killed when Schmidt dropped the bomb. The men were all members of the Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry engaged in a live-fire training exercise on the ground.
Schmidt blames the bombing on the "fog of war," saying he mistook the Canadians' gunfire for an attack by Taliban forces.
==================
Shoulda had the court martial....give him a coke can and a spoon.
