Court Martial Lawyer – Soldier in Bliss Assault Dies in Rehab

Court Martial Lawyer - Soldier in Bliss Assault Dies in Rehab

Knight Ridder / Tribune

EL PASO, Texas — A Fort Bliss Soldier hit in the head with a baseball bat last year allegedly by another Soldier died while undergoing rehabilitation for his injuries and will be buried today in his hometown, Chicago.

Pvt. Deandrez Robertson, 20, is charged with attacking Pvt. Pernell Robert Flowers II, 22, on July 18 and faces court martial on numerous charges, including attempted murder for the alleged attack, and four counts of assault related to an earlier incident, in which Robertson allegedly threatened a group of people, including Flowers, with a 12-gauge sawed-off shotgun at a northeast El Paso convenience store.

Robertson later escaped from Army custody at Fort Bliss and was captured in Tennessee.
“He was my best friend. He had a heart of gold,” Pernell Flowers Sr. said Tuesday by phone from Chicago about his son. “If you needed something, you wouldn’t have to ask him. He would just give it to you.”

Pernell Flowers Sr. said his son loved cars and “literally fell to his knees” when he saw a high-performance Nissan at an El Paso car dealership.

The younger Flowers served a tour of duty in Korea and “wanted to be in the Army more than anything in his life,” his father said.

Pernell Robert Flowers II had been in the service for five years and came to El Paso when he was assigned to Fort Bliss.

“He was always the most loving child,” the elder Flowers said. During a dinner party at the age of 3, he said, his son put his hands on his hips and declared,
“I have so many somebodies to love.”

Flowers Sr. declined to comment on the incident that injured his son or the court-martial proceedings.

The younger Flowers died on Feb. 17 just as Robertson’s Article 32 hearing, similar to a preliminary hearing in civilian court, began, said Fort Bliss spokeswoman Jean Offutt.
“No new date has been set yet (to continue the hearing) because they’re waiting for the results of the forensic autopsy,” which will determine whether Robertson is charged with murder, Offutt said. Both Soldiers belonged to the post’s 4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, she said.

Charges of conspiracy, “absent without leave,” and “resistance, breach of arrest and escape,” were filed against Robertson after he escaped from Army custody on Dec. 10, when he was at Fort Bliss to meet with his lawyer.

He was captured Dec. 16 at a bus stop in Knoxville, Tenn., and was returned to the Otero County Detention Facility in New Mexico, where he is being held.

Fort Bliss officials released few details on the charges against Robertson or on his escape, but the El Paso Times obtained charge sheets outlining some of that information under the Freedom of Information Act. El Paso Police Department officials asked for an opinion from the Texas attorney general before releasing a copy of a police report requested by the Times detailing the shotgun incident.

Robertson allegedly pointed the shotgun at Pernell Flowers II, Robertson’s ex-girlfriend and another man on July 13, according to the police report, five days before the alleged assault. The report indicates that no alcohol was involved and that Robertson was arrested and booked into the county jail.

Robertson allegedly arranged for another Soldier to purchase a wooden bat and batting gloves for use in the slaying attempt, according to Army charge sheets. He had been ordered to stay away from Pernell Flowers II by his commander, according to the documents, and was charged with failure to obey an order.

He is charged with making many threats between July 18 and Aug. 8 to keep his role in the alleged assault a secret. And he is charged with recruiting three Soldiers and a civilian to help him escape, including a Soldier who allegedly bought and delivered the clothing he used.
Robertson also is charged with asking a Soldier involved in the case to provide a false account of the alleged assault to the Army’s Criminal Investigative Command, and asking another Soldier to lie to El Paso police about the alleged shotgun incident.

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, Italy, Iraq, Kuwait, Korea, Okinawa, Japan, Yokota, and throughout the United States. military-defense-lawyer-recentcases.htm.