Military lawyer recommends Navy not court-martial SEAL on abuse charges News
Military lawyer recommends Navy not court-martial SEAL on abuse charges

[JURIST] A military lawyer has recommended that a Navy SEAL accused of abusing prisoners in Iraq should not be court-martialed, the San Diego Union-Tribune reported Friday. The lawyer instead recommended a nonjudicial punishment for the SEAL. The decision on whether to prosecute rests with the commander of the unit at Coronado. If convicted, the SEAL, who has not been identified, could face up to 11 years in prison. The SEAL is one several accused of abuse, and a fellow SEAL testified at the preliminary hearing Monday that both men punched an Iraqi detainee suspected in a bombing, who was found dead hours later. No one has been charged in the death. JURIST's Paper Chase has background on the charges. The Union-Tribune has more.

THIS DAY @ LAW

Laws of Burgos put into effect

The Spanish Crown put the Laws of Burgos into effect on December 27, 1512. These laws governed the relationship of Spanish settlers with the indigenous peoples of the Caribbean. The laws established the encomienda system of labor, promoted conversion to Catholicism, and safeguarded the indigenous peoples from physical abuse.  However, historians argue that the laws were ineffective at protecting the rights of the indigenous population. Learn more from the Library of Congress.

Prohibitionist Carrie Nation carried out her first public bar smashing

On December 27, 1900, militant Prohibitionist Carrie Nation carried out her first public smashing of a bar, at the Carey Hotel in Wichita, Kansas. Nation argued that destroying bars was an acceptable means of battling the liquor trade since the Kansas Constitution prohibited alcohol. Learn more about Carrie Nation.

World Bank created

On December 27, 1944, the World Bank was created during the United Nations Monetary and Financial Conference in Bretton Woods, New Hampshire, USA. Learn more about the history of the World Bank.