tomcatwarneOPOcean City, Plumouth, Devon, England UK17,106 posts
Ref Plymouth Herald.
Claims evidence was deliberately withheld as new campaign launched to free Plymouth Royal Marine jailed for Taliban murder
By Plymouth Herald | Posted: September 11, 2015
Sergeant Alexander Blackman has been used as a "political scapegoat", say supporters
A NEW campaign has been launched to free a Plymouth Royal Marine who was jailed for life for the murder of a Taliban insurgent - amid claims crucial evidence was deliberately withheld from his court martial.
Sergeant Alexander Blackman - previously known as Marine A until a ruling allowing his identity to be revealed - has been used as a "political scapegoat", say supporters.
New claims made in a national newspaper are set to see his sentence discussed in Parliament again next week - four years almost to the day after he shot dead an injured Afghan insurgent in Helman Provice.
Blackman was jailed for life for murder following a court martial which was shown headcam footage capturing the moment the fatal shot was fired.
But now an investigation by the Daily Mail claims to have uncovered evidence that campaigners say was "deliberately withheld" from the court martial.
They say that evidence could have led to Blackman being charged with manslaughter instead of murder - a charge which carried a much lighter sentence.
The campaign to free him is being spearheaded by thriller writer Frederick Forsyth.
Meanwhile Tory MP Richard Drax, a former Guards officer, has been granted an adjournment debate in Parliament next Wednesday.
He said: "It is my belief that this top-class Royal Marine has been subjected to a miscarriage of justice and is subsequently paying a terrible price. He is absolutely no danger to anyone."
The Mail says that, along with the claims of withheld evidence, a top colonel was blocked from giving evidence to the court martial - and later resigned in protest.
The colonel is said to have later described it as "a failure of moral courage by the chain of command".
It is also claimed that members of the court martial panel sent a message to Blackman in prison apologising for the length of his sentence.
There are allegations that what have been described
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Claims evidence was deliberately withheld as new campaign launched to free Plymouth Royal Marine jailed for Taliban murder
By Plymouth Herald | Posted: September 11, 2015
Sergeant Alexander Blackman has been used as a "political scapegoat", say supporters
A NEW campaign has been launched to free a Plymouth Royal Marine who was jailed for life for the murder of a Taliban insurgent - amid claims crucial evidence was deliberately withheld from his court martial.
Sergeant Alexander Blackman - previously known as Marine A until a ruling allowing his identity to be revealed - has been used as a "political scapegoat", say supporters.
New claims made in a national newspaper are set to see his sentence discussed in Parliament again next week - four years almost to the day after he shot dead an injured Afghan insurgent in Helman Provice.
Blackman was jailed for life for murder following a court martial which was shown headcam footage capturing the moment the fatal shot was fired.
But now an investigation by the Daily Mail claims to have uncovered evidence that campaigners say was "deliberately withheld" from the court martial.
They say that evidence could have led to Blackman being charged with manslaughter instead of murder - a charge which carried a much lighter sentence.
The campaign to free him is being spearheaded by thriller writer Frederick Forsyth.
Meanwhile Tory MP Richard Drax, a former Guards officer, has been granted an adjournment debate in Parliament next Wednesday.
He said: "It is my belief that this top-class Royal Marine has been subjected to a miscarriage of justice and is subsequently paying a terrible price. He is absolutely no danger to anyone."
The Mail says that, along with the claims of withheld evidence, a top colonel was blocked from giving evidence to the court martial - and later resigned in protest.
The colonel is said to have later described it as "a failure of moral courage by the chain of command".
It is also claimed that members of the court martial panel sent a message to Blackman in prison apologising for the length of his sentence.
There are allegations that what have been described