2 young reserve soldiers, best friends, are serving in Afganistan. In the recklessness of youth and bravado, they are practicing "quick-draw" in their tent, with a loaded firearm, when it goes off, killing one of the two, a young man in the prime of his life. The other soldier was just found guilty of negligent homicide, and sentenced to 4 years in prison, demotion, and dishonorable discharge. This young man had an exellent record in the military and in civilian life, has suffered beyond words with guilt and remorse, and has faced the consequences of his actions as a man and a soldier. Without minimising the tragic consequences, isn't this a harsh sentence for a young man for a lapse in judgement in a far away land under difficult and stressfull circumstances? Civilians routinely get lighter sentences for far worse crimes than this, committed intentionally.
I'm all for tougher sentences for criminals, but in this case, justice needed to be tempered with mercy.
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