- Title: SOUTH VIETNAM: CIVILIAN LAWYER OF ACCUSED GREEN-BERET OFFICER SPEAKS TO PRESS
- Date: 14th August 1969
- Summary: GREGORY SPEAKING TO PRESSMEN; REPORTERS. Initials WW/VS/MJB/MJB Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 29th August 1969 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: SAIGON, SOUTH VIETNAM
- Country: Vietnam
- Reuters ID: LVA5CWSYPA6I142LARND5MTGE6JY
- Story Text: UNITED STATES LAWYER GEORGE GREGORY, CIVILIAN DEFENCE COUNSEL FOR THE SPECIAL FORCES MAJOR THOMAS C. MIDDLETON, JUNIOR, WHO HAS BEEN CHARGED WITH MURDER, TOLD JOURNALISTS IN SAIGON ON SUNDAY (10 AUGUST) THAT HE WAS GOING TO DEMAND THAT HIS CLIENT BE IMMEDIATELY RELEASED FROM CONFINEMENT.
MAJOR MIDDLETON, WHO IS 30, AND SEVEN OTHER GREEN BERET SPECIAL FORCES OFFICERS, INCLUDING ITS COMMANDING OFFICER, COLONEL ROBERT RHEULT, HAVE BEEN CHARGED WITH PREMEDITATED MURDER AND CONSPIRACY TO COMMIT MURDER IN THE ALLEGED SHOOTING OF A SOUTH VIETNAMESE CIVILIAN ON 20 JUNE. THE INCIDENT IS SAID TO HAVE TAKEN PLACE NEAR THE SPECIAL FORCES HEADQUARTERS AT NHA TRANG, 200 MILES (320 KILOMETRES) NORTH-EAST OF SAIGON.
THE LAWYER, WHO FLEW IN TO SAIGON FROM THE UNITED STATES, SAID HE HAD FIRST LEARNED OF THE CASE IN AN UNDATED LETTER HE HAD RECEIVED FROM MAJOR MIDDLETON ON 30 JULY.
MR. GREGORY SAID THE UNITED STATES MILITARY AUTHORITIES HAD NO RIGHT TO PUT MAJOR MIDDLETON IN PRE-TRIAL CONFINEMENT, AND ADDED THAT HE WANTED A COURT MARTIAL TO BE HELD AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
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