Lt Choi being held incommunicado..

[annabanana]

http://gay.americablog.com/2010/03/where-is-dan-choi.html

UPDATE: Dan's representative just called the DC Central Cellblock, where Dan and James are being held. I'm told it's a nasty place. They report that they're not giving Dan a phone call. So he doesn't get bail. He's reportedly going to see a judge tomorrow. Something is going on.

UPDATE: We have more information. This is increasingly disturbing. It increasingly looks as though someone has decided to play hardball with Dan and James. The Park Police say that Dan is not being released on bail. Dan also has not made his phone call to the person designed to pay his bail - the person's phone number is written on Dan's arm, so there's no chance he doesn't have it. That means that Dan apparently is not being permitted a phone call, and thus not being permitted to have anyone pay his bail. Why not? We have just learned that Dan is in fact being charged with "failure to obey a lawful order," yet that charge usually means you get processed, you pay bail, and you leave. Then why are they not letting Dan Choi leave, but instead are holding him to be arraigned? Why are they apparently not permitting Dan his phone call?

[dana_b]

1. sounds fishy indeed

Are they going to make some kind of example of him??

[mitchtv]

2. He needs a congress person to call

the Jail/DA

[Smashcut]

3. Is it in any way conceivable that Pres. Obama is unaware of this situation?

[bullwinkle428]

6. Watching his bracket play out in the NCAA tournament?

:hide:

Kinda joking...kinda not.

[gimama]

4. Another thread on this

in gd, I think.. YES, Your Instincts are RIGHT..this is WRONG.
Those who tweet/fb, please share widely..
& send him & his Buddy
LOVE & Light~===]

[Maat]

5. Sending Dan protective consciousness right now.

I'll be happy to donate to the fund for legal counsel.

[Christa]

7. Smells fishy

The man is not a criminal!!

[BR_Parkway]

8. The Lt. is still on active duty service and subject to the UCMJ - fairly

standard operating procedures for local, civilian police to turn over military personnel to the Judge Advocate with area jurisdiction. I've seen it reported that he's being charged with "failure to obey a lawful order" - that could be a civilian or military charge depending on who issued the order. I'm certain other charges will be levied against him for wearing his uniform during a political activity along with whatever else they can throw at him.

There is no right to a phone call btw, only access to a lawyer within the first 72 hours of confinement as well as an appearance in front of a judge to assess the charges.

I'm going to say something - as a gay veteran who got booted when it was found out I was gay - that many of you aren't going to like. I respect what the Lt was attempting to do, but I think the backlash from it is going to be worse. Too many in the services are going to see this as a reckless act, not one grounded in well thought out tactics and strategy that indicates the type of officer most of us were trained to follow into combat. As in "see, those homos really aren't fit to serve"

I fear Lt. Choi has just moved himself from a positive role model/spokesperson into a liability category for the cause.

Before any of you flame back - keep in mind how you'd feel seeing some of Elaine Donnelley's 1,100 retired flag officers chaining themselves in uniform to the White House fence to make their case that DADT should remain in place. There are fairly strict guidelines in place to keep our military under the direction of the civilian authorities.

[crikkett]

10. Lt Choi is not on active duty, he was discharged. For being Gay. Hence

the protest.

:silly:

[BR_Parkway]

11. No, he's being discharged but it's not finalized yet, still requires the

approval of the Senate Armed Services committee for it to be final. So that means that they can bring the full weight of command and the UCMJ down on his head if they decide to. The other officer chained up next to him has already been discharged so he's only subject to civilian penalties

[plantwomyn]

13. I could buy what these guys were wearing

at my local Army Navy Surplus or online. They both seem to be wearing the same "outfit" and from everything I've seen neither man had any insignia on their camos. I don't think that qualifies as being "in uniform". In fact Capt James Pietrangelo has already been discharged because of DADT.

[LeftHander]

9. They are waiting until the facial swelling diminishes....nt

nt

[closeupready]

12. Unless there are allegations of violence (and there aren't, as far as I know - to the contrary),then

I'm not sure I'm entirely clear what he's done that he's being held in prison for? Demonstrating? At worst, seems he should have been arrested, cited and released on his own recognizance, in the absence of a compelling reason otherwise.