Rights of U.S. Military Service Men, Women, and Veterans | Military Lawyers | Military Law Attorneys James Culp and Timothy Litk

Law Offices of James Culp & Timothy Litka, LLP | Worldwide Representation | Call now for a FREE Consultation - Available 24/7 (888) 246-1515


	KNOW YOUR RIGHTS If you are facing military charges, your freedom, career, and reputation are at risk. Mr. Culp has advised thousands of servicemen about their rights as a suspect, their rights facing non-judicial punishment, summary courts-martial, special and general courts-martial, and their rights when contemplating an adverse separation hearing or adverse administrative board. Let your rights as a suspect protect you: 1. You do NOT have to make a statement to anyone, not even your commander. Click Here To Learn More 2. You have the right to speak to an attorney, whether or not you committed a crime. Click Here To Learn More 3. You have a right to have an attorney by your side when you talk to any investigator or anyone in your chain of command. Click Here To Learn More 4. You have the right to refuse to consent to criminal searches. Click Here To Learn More 5. You have the right to refuse a polygraph examination. Click Here To Learn More CONCLUSION: The vast majority of convictions in the military result from statements or confessions provided to investigators or agents. If you are being interrogated (agents refer to these not so pleasant experiences as “interviews”), or someone is asking you to make a statement, you need to consult with a lawyer. If you clearly and plainly ask to see a lawyer, your interrogation must cease immediately. Invoking your right to a lawyer is the only way to permanently cease the interrogation. Giving a statement and consenting to searches or polygraph examinations will assist investigators and prosecutors build the case against you. Before deciding to give up any of your important rights, you should speak with an experienced attorney – even if you’re innocent. It is not enough to know these rights. YOU MUST EXERCISE THESE RIGHTS. If you do, you will increase the odds dramatically that your freedom, career, and reputation will survive the military justice process.

HADITHA
LCpl Justin Sharratt was one of four Marines charged with murder on December 21, 2006 in connection with the killing of 24 Iraqi men, women and children in Haditha, Iraq. It was the U.S. military's deadliest criminal case to emerge from the Iraq war. LCpl Sharratt faced a life sentence if convicted.

ISKANDARIYAH
On July 1, 2007 Army Sergeant Evan Vela, a Ranger qualified sniper with the 1st Battalion, 501st Parachute Infantry Regiment, was charged with the premeditated murder of an Iraqi who had compromised his team’s hide position in the Triangle of Death. Sergeant Vela faced a life sentence if convicted.

RAMADI
On June 25, 2006 the Army charged Specialist Nathan Lynn of the 1st Battalion, 109th Infantry Regiment with the wrongful killing of an Iraqi who was shot to death while moving tactically on SPC Lynn’s position. SPC Lynn was also charged with conspiracy for his alleged role in planting an AK-47 at the scene.

CHARLES JENKINS
In the early morning hours of January 5, 1965, Sergeant Charles Robert Jenkins deserted his U.S. Army unit in South Korea and walked across the DMZ to North Korea where he remained until 2004. When he escaped North Korea in the summer of 2004, he was charged with desertion and aiding the enemy and faced a possible life sentence.

MAHMUDIYAH
The Al-Mahmudiyah killings occurred on March 12, 2006 in a house located south of Baghdad, Iraq in which four United States soldiers with the 101st Airborne Division raped and murdered a 14 year-old Iraqi girl after murdering her mother, father and 5 year old sister. All four Soldiers faced the possibility of the death sentence.

JALALABAD
On March 4, 2007, a convoy of Special Operations Marines was attacked outside of Jalalabad, Afghanistan. They responded in self defense. After the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission issued a report stating that 12 civilians were killed and 35 wounded, the NCIS initiated an investigation

BAGHDAD
In the Spring of 2007, an infantry First Sergeant, a Platoon Sergeant, and the company medic executed four Iraqi detainees in South Baghdad. SSG Jesse Cunningham revealed the murders and erroneously became one of seven Army soldiers charged with the killings. He faced a mandatory minimum sentence of life in prison.

The information on military courts-martial, military appeals, military parole and clemency, military boards of correction, military discharge upgrade, veterans administration claims, military administrative discharge hearings, and claims against the federal government under the federal tort claims act provided by this Military Defense Attorney /Law Firm website is for general information purposes only. Nothing on this or associated pages, documents, comments, answers, e-mails, or other communications should be taken as legal advice from these military attorneys/lawyers, for any individual case or situation, civilian or military. This information on this website is not intended to create, and receipt or viewing of this information does not constitute an attorney-client relationship with these U.S. military attorneys/lawyers for any civilian or military purpose, including military courts-martial, military appeals, military parole and clemency, military boards of correction, military discharge upgrade, veterans administration claims, military administrative discharge hearings, and claims against the federal government under the federal tort claims act. The attorney-client relationship with these military attorneys/lawyers will be formed when this office sends out an engagement letter, you (the client) sign and return that letter with the fee agreed upon by you and this office for one or both of these military attorneys/lawyers to represent you as your military attorney/lawyer at locations worldwide such as Fort Hood, Fort Bragg, Iraq, Quantico, Washington, DC, Fort Drum, Fort Stewart, Fort Lewis, Camp Pendleton, Camp LeJune, Schofield Barracks, Norfolk Naval Station, Fort Sam Houston, Fort Bliss, Germany, Korea, Iraq or Afghanistan. The civilian military defense attorneys/lawyers of this firm do not discriminate amongst the U.S. armed services and are prepared to represent U.S. military servicemen and servicemen from the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines and U.S. Coast Guard.

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KNOW YOUR RIGHTS