Airman charged in soldier’s beating death

[unhappycamper]

Airman charged in soldier’s beating death
By Seamus O’Connor - Staff writer
Posted : Friday Dec 14, 2007 12:13:14 EST

An airman has been charged for allegedly participating in a gang beating of an Army sergeant, the first airman to be charged in a case in which two soldiers have been found guilty of involuntary manslaughter.

Airman Nicholas Sims, 28, has been charged with aggravated assault, grievous bodily harm and failure to obey a lawful order, according to Darlene Cowsert, a spokeswoman at Ramstein Air Base, Germany. Sims is with Ramstein’s 86th Maintenance Squadron. The charges were announced Nov. 28.

Sims will face an Article 32 hearing, similar to a grand jury, on Monday.

The charges stem from the death of Army Sgt. Juwan Johnson. He was found dead in his barracks room on July 4, 2005, after taking a severe beating as part of an initiation into the Gangster Disciples group, investigators said.

Two soldiers, Pfc. Terrence Norman and Sgt. Rodney Howell, were convicted in mid-July of beating and punching Johnson to death, said Maj. Wayne Marotto, an Army spokesman.


Rest of article at: http://www.airforcetimes.com/news/2007/12/airforce_gangbeating_charges_071213/



uhc comment: Previous thread about Mr. Sims --> http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=259&topic_id=8335