Court Martial Lawyer – Family of slain soldier disagrees with defence wish to move court martial trial to Afghanistan

Court Martial Lawyer – Family of slain soldier disagrees with defence wish to move court martial trial to Afghanistan

STELLARTON – The defence in the court martial of a Cape Breton reservist charged in the death of Cpl. Kevin Megeney wants the trial moved to Afghanistan where the Stellarton native lost his life on March 6, 2007.
Megeney’s family disagrees.

“I’m not a lawyer and I’m not quite sure they need to. I hope they don’t for my sake,” Karen Megeney, Kevin’s mother said Thursday.

Defence lawyer Lt.-Col. Troy Sweet told the court on Wednesday that the court martial should be moved from Victoria Park Garrison in Sydney to Kandahar Airfield in Afghanistan.

Sweet told the Cape Breton Post that in most civilian criminal cases the trial is held “within the jurisdiction of the offence.”

Military prosecutor Maj. Jason Samson argued that it’s not necessary to move the proceedings to Afghanistan as the tent has been moved from its original location and there is no reason to move the trial.

Matthew Wilcox, 23, of Glace Bay, faces charges of manslaughter, criminal negligence causing death and negligent performance of duty.

Megeney and Wilcox were alone in a tent at Kandahar Airfield at the time of the shooting.

For her part, Karen Megeney was aware of this latest issue. She is always informed about developments in the court martial, she added.

“They’re very good about keeping me in the loop. They know, we have an agreement, they know when I want to be contacted.”

Michael Waddington is a court martial lawyer – court martial attorney that defends military personnel worldwide as well as deployed civilian contractors subject to the UCMJ. He defends Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine, Coast Guard, and civilian contractor court martial cases. He has successfully defended military personnel as a court martial lawyer Army Navy Marine & Air Force court martials in Germany, England, San Diego, Norfolk, Jacksonville, Fort Bragg, Fort Jackson, Fort Stewart, Fort Gordon, Italy, Iraq, Kuwait, Korea, Okinawa, Japan, Yokota, and throughout the United States. military-defense-lawyer-recentcases.htm.