Next Tuesday will mark the first of eight military trials for officers accused in connection with the death of Private Danny Chen, who was found dead at an American military base in Afghanistan last October. Chen, a Chinatown native, suffered physical abuse and taunts about his race from fellow soldiers in the months leading up to his death, military officials have said.
The trials will be held in Fort Bragg, North Carolina. Politicians and activists fought for the proceedings to take place on American soil in order to insure transparency. Chen’s family and a group of supporters led by the Organization for Chinese Americans are holding a press conference about the trials in Columbus Park on Monday at 10 a.m. The group will depart directly after the briefing and travel to be present at the proceedings.
The first of Chen’s superiors to stand trial is Sergeant Adam Holcomb, one of five officers charged with negligent homicide in relation to the private’s death. He is also accused of reckless endangerment, communicating a threat, assault, maltreatment of a subordinate, dereliction of duty, and multiple counts of violating lawful general order. His trial is expected to conclude on July 27th.
