I wonder what Lt. Col. Terrence Lakin is going to do now?
An Army judge ruled today that proof of President Obama's eligibility to be president isn't relevant to the defense of an Army doctor accused of failing to obey a lawful order.
"FORT MEADE, Md. — An Army judge ruled Thursday that proof of President Barack Obama's eligibility to be president isn't relevant to the defense of an Army doctor accused of failing to obey a lawful order.
Lt. Col. Terrence Lakin has been charged with disobeying orders after failing to show up for duty in Afghanistan and questioning whether the president has the right to order him there.
Lakin had sought the release of school records that could include a copy of Obama's birth certificate. He as questioned whether Obama was born a U.S. citizen and therefore eligible to be president.
The judge ruled Thursday that the records and any other evidence or witnesses pertaining to Obama's birth will not be admitted. Prosecutors have argued that Obama's birth certificate shouldn't be part of the case, especially since the order for Lakin to deploy to Afghanistan didn't come directly from the president, The Associated Press reported.
The Greeley, Colo., native did not report to Fort Campbell, Ky., in April to prepare for deployment.
Lakin said in a YouTube video that he chose to disobey orders and was inviting his own court-martial. He says he wants to see Obama's birth certificate as proof Obama was born in the U.S., as presidents must be, and thus that the deployment order for Afghanistan is legal.
Hawaiian officials say they have records proving Obama was born there, but so-called birthers challenge that.
If convicted, Lakin faces up to 45 months of confinement, total forfeiture of pay and allowances, and dismissal from the Army.
In a brief statement after Thursday's hearing, Lakin's defense attorney said the ruling denied his client the ability to be defended.
The next pre-trial hearing will be Sept. 28 and the trial is set for Oct. 13-15."
That is what I expected would happen. I wonder if Lakin honestly felt he was going to be allowed to bring up all this "birther" crap in court? His defense attorney should have told him it was not going to be allowed.
Now Lakin is fucked. It comes down to were you ordered to go to Afghanistan? Did you refused the order?
Next stop for Lakin Fort Leavenworth and the United States Disciplinary Barracks and four years of hard labor.
My guess is that on September 28th he will want to cut a deal. My guess is he will try and get the best deal he can on the type of discharge from the Army and that he will take forfeiture of all pay, allowances, benefits etc.
He will then be out of the military and he can say that he was correct and that he could not get a fair day in court. He can end up on Fox News or he might run for Congress.
I do not see him going to jail now. I think he will cut some sort of a deal.
Will the military be willing to give him an out? I think the best thing for the military might be to not give him an out and make an example of him.
Send the message out to the troops that you obey orders or else.
