NCO off the hook in missing Hood soldier case

[unhappycamper]

NCO off the hook in missing Hood soldier case
By Angela K. Brown - The Associated Press
Posted : Friday Feb 22, 2008 8:28:58 EST

FORT WORTH, Texas — An Army officer no longer faces a military trial on charges of lying to investigators about when he last spoke with a soldier found dead after disappearing during a training exercise.

Fort Hood’s senior mission commander said the evidence against Master Sgt. Terry Peggins would not support a court-martial but has not decided whether he will be disciplined in another way, post spokeswoman Col. Diane Battaglia said Thursday.

Peggins’ attorney, John Galligan, said his client may face nonjudicial punishment or a letter of reprimand. But he said he was pleased that Peggins would not be put through a military trial, where his maximum penalty if convicted would have been a bad-conduct discharge and a year in the brig.

“I think they reviewed his history of being a caring and dedicated and re-evaluated the case, and realized that a trial by court-martial was unwarranted,” Galligan said.

Peggins was charged last fall with four counts of making false official statements after the military obtained Sgt. Lawrence Sprader’s cell phone records from the day he was lost on the training course.


Rest of article at: http://www.armytimes.com/news/2008/02/ap_hoodmissing_080222/