(Fort Bragg, NC) Responding to a last-minute motion by admitted deserter Bowe Bergdahl’s defense team, the judge in the case has postponed sentencing until Wednesday. The request to have the case thrown out, made the day following Bergdahl’s pleading guilty, came after a comment by President Trump that stated that “people have heard my comments in the past” when questioned about the guilty plea.
However, COL Jeffery Nance made it extremely clear to the defense that he was not postponing the sentencing because of undue command influence, but because of the possible impact that the President’s comments could have on the perception of the military justice system by civilians.
“I don’t have any doubt whatsoever that I can be fair and impartial in the sentencing in this manner.” – COL Jeffery R. Nance, presiding judge in the Bergdahl court-martial.
The defense requested to question Nance on the record about any impact the President’s comments would have on the sentencing of their client. Nance stated that he would have been completely unaware of the comments at all, if it wasn’t for the defense team’s repeated motions.
He further clarified that he was planning on retiring in the near future and was not seeking a promotion to the rank of general; Nance stated for the record that he was not motivated by pleasing his commanders in order to be promoted.
