Airman discharged after court-martial
By Janene Scully/Associate Editor janscully@santamariatimes.com
Posted: Saturday, October 24, 2009
An airman accused of assaulting his wife received six months confinement and a bad conduct discharge following a court-martial at Vandenberg Air Force Base, military officials revealed Thursday.
Airman 1st Class Adrian Torres was found guilty of one specification of aggravated assault and three specifications of “assault consummated by a battery,” according to Capt. Michael Schwartz, 30th Space Wing Judge Advocate.
Assault consummated by battery is the civilian equivalent of battery, officials said.
He also was found not guilty of one count of battery. Torres pleaded not guilty to all five specifications of assault in violation of Article 128 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice.
In addition to the confinement and bad conduct discharge sentence, the 30th Security Forces Squadron member’s rank was reduced to airman, officials said.
The court-martial began in late July before taking a break and finished up last month. The sentence was issued Sept. 23.
Investigators determined that the spousal abuse spanned approximately 13 months, and was first discovered May 13, 2008 when the victim went to the hospital following an incident that led to the aggravated assault charge. They lived in base housing.
Subsequent investigation by the 30th Space Wing Judge Advocate allegedly uncovered the four battery incidents, a lesser violation of Article 128 than aggravated assault.
The victim had swelling and bruising, and vomited blood from being choked, Air Force officials said.
Capt. Wes McConnell, a senior trial counsel stationed at Peterson AFB, Colo., and Capt. Michael Schwartz of the 30th SW Judge Advocate office prosecuted the case. Maj. John Harwood, senior defense counsel, and Capt. Lance Smith, area defense counsel, both of whom are based at Nellis AFB, Nev., defended Torres.—————–
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.
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