In court, Bergdahl recounted how he was caged, tortured and beaten, and he apologized to those whose lives he endangered. In turn, the defense team appealed for leniency, stressing the physical and emotional toll of five grueling years of captivity by the Taliban and its allies. The decision on Sergeant Bergdahl is a complete and total disgrace to our Country and to our Military.- Donald J.
Fidell of Yale Law School, said Bergdahl was “still absorbing” the ruling, yet it was a “tremendous relief” to get no prison time. Outside the courthouse, Bergdahl’s lead attorney, Eugene R. Less than an hour and a half after the sentencing, President Trump offered his thoughts on Twitter: “The decision on Sergeant Bergdahl is a complete and total disgrace to our Country and to our Military.” Two defense attorneys on each side of him wrapped an arm around his back. The 31-year-old from Hailey, Idaho, clenched his jaw and began to shake as the judge read the sentence, which included a demotion from sergeant to private and a forfeiture of pay of $1,000 a month for 10 months. Though prosecutors had urged the judge to sentence Bergdahl to 14 years in jail, defense lawyers had argued for no prison time - just a dishonorable or bad-conduct discharge - because of the torture he suffered as a prisoner of war.
Jeffery Nance, had wide leeway to impose anything from no sentence to life imprisonment. The military judge presiding over the trial, Col. Bowe Bergdahl, the controversial soldier who abandoned his combat outpost in Afghanistan eight years ago and was swiftly captured by the Taliban, was punished Friday with a demotion and a dishonorable discharge.
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