Navy SEAL convicted for death of Green Beret Logan Melgar has 10-year sentence 'set aside'
Jeff Schogol - Yesterday 9:43 AM
An appellate court has set aside the 10-year prison sentence for former Navy Chief Petty Officer Tony DeDolph, who pleaded guilty last year to involuntary manslaughter, hazing, and obstruction of justice in connection with the June 2017 death of Army Special Forces Staff
In January 2021, DeDolph, a Navy SEAL, was sentenced to 10 years in prison, a reduction in rank to E-1, and a dishonorable discharge.
But the United States Navy-Marine Corps Court of Criminal Appeals has ruled that DeDolph must get a new sentencing hearing because prosecutors did not let DeDolph’s attorneys know that one of the witnesses who testified against DeDolph had asked that his prison sentence be reduced from four to two years in exchange for his testimony.
The witness was identified in court papers as “Pvt. Marshall,” who was one of the other service members involved in Melgar’s death. “His first name was not included in the appeals court’s decision.
“Pvt Marshall was a key government witness in this case,” wrote military judge Marine Col. Peter Houtz, who delivered the appeals court’s decision. “His motive to misrepresent was not self-evident (certainly not through the pretrial agreement alone) and the disclosure of the clemency request was material.”
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/navy-seal-convicted-for-death-of-green-beret-logan-melgar-has-10-year-sentence-set-aside/ar-AA14e2ee?ocid=msedgntp&cvid=211a568ce6b84adda0ba9db6ec13919d
